Better With You
by AGuyWhoUsedToWrite
Summary: Who knew that one accidental encounter between Harry Potter and Daphne Greengrass would have led to something more. They say first impressions are everything but for these two, it was the third impression that sealed the deal for them. Post-War and Non-epilogue compliant.
1. Chapter 1

So I didn't want to churn out another story so soon after finishing one but this plot bunny started nagging on me. I started out with a what if scenario between Harry and Daphne and a week later, I have 17 chapters outlined. Keep in mind, I am only one man that's re-reading the chapters over and over to ensure grammer and proper sentence structure. If someone wants to beta, please PM me.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you my latest story - Better With You.

* * *

"Hello Harry. How are you doing today?"

Harry settled into the plush, black leather chair, shrugging his shoulders as a response. "Could be better I guess." He looked around the room, noticing the color on the walls. They were light blue instead of the usual white which left him in an oddly calmed state of mind.

"I'm glad to hear that. Now before we start, I want to stress the importance of our confidentiality agreement Harry. Anything that you share will stay between us and no one else."

"Yes I understand." Harry said, nodding his head. "But I also wanted to say that I still can't believe I'm talking to you, a therapist. I'm not the most touchy-feely, talk-about-your-emotions kind of guy but this... I think I'm man enough to say that I needed help. I understand the situation that I put myself in and... Wow... I guess this is what growing up feels like."

"This is department mandated therapy Harry." The therapist stated. "You assaulted another Auror and broke his nose."

"That asshole started it." Harry argued. "Look Doctor Spencer, I'm -"

"You can call me Michael Harry." Michael interrupted, smiling as he knew what Harry was trying to do. "And before you continue with that line of thought, I'm going to stop you right there. I cannot clear you for field duty until I am positive that you won't be a danger to yourself or others." He noticed Harry sinking back into his chair and then jotted down some notes. "This is only your first session Harry. If you're willing to work with me, I promise that we'll get through this as painless as possible."

Harry sighed and made a gesture for him to continue.

"Can you tell me what made you decide to break your colleague's nose?" Michael asked. "Did he do something to upset you?"

"Something like that." Harry muttered. He unconsciously rubbed his knuckles, the moment burned into his memories.

 _Flashback_

 _Harry stormed into the locker room, his magic unchecked. His eyes scanned the area, looking for one person and one person only. He wanted to control his magic but at this point, he didn't care. He wanted everyone to feel it, to know that he was coming._

 _More importantly, he wanted the bastard to know._

 _Harry took note that there were several other men in the room, all of them stepping aside as he walked past. He could smell the fear coming from them and smiled._

 _"James McCornwick." Harry growled, finding his target hiding in the corner. "Why the hell did you do it? Of all the people that you could have screwed, why did it have to be **her**?"_

 _James took a step back, feeling the magic just radiating off Harry. "Listen mate, it wasn't my fault. She came onto me. I swear I didn't want to do it but it was in the heat of the moment! I don't know what came over me."_

 _At this point, Harry didn't care as he continued walking up to James. "Harry come on man, let's talk about this!" The man pleaded. His instincts were screaming for him to run somewhere. Anywhere._

 _"So let's talk James. Let's talk about the moment where you decided to sleep with my girlfriend._ _" Harry snarled. "Let's talk about the moment where you ran like a little bitch when I caught you red-handed." He slammed his fist into James, catching him off-guard._

 _James wheezed and gasped for air as he dropped to his knees. He held his hands up, begging Harry to stop. "I swear it wasn't anything personal! I met her at a pub and one thing led to another. Honestly Harry, I didn't mean for this to happen!"_

 _"From this point onward, you two are dead to me." Harry chillingly said before throwing another punch, this time connecting with James's nose. Everyone that was watching the one sided fight winced at the sound of bones shattering._

 _Flashback_

"Studies have shown that it is perfectly normal for people to lash out in anger." Michael pointed out, pausing for a moment to let the information sink in. "Do you think you have anger issues Harry?"

"I don't have anger issues." Harry clarified. "I was _reacting_ to a situation that I had no control over."

"That's an interesting choice of words Harry." Michael said. "How did you feel after you _reacted_ to the situation? Were you relieved after you beaten him?"

"I don't know... Maybe I guess? I don't remember how I was feeling to be honest."

"Intriguing." Michael said, writing down some more notes. "What do you think would have happened if they didn't pull you off him? Would you have beaten a man to death Harry?"

"That man is not a criminal. He's just a prick." Harry answered. "I know the difference between right and wrong but my actions were justified. No matter how the paper slanders me, I am not the monster that they make me out to be."

"Harry, what anyone says about you will have no impact in here. I am a therapist, not some kind of fanboy who listens for every piece of news and gossip about you."

A small chime then echoed throughout the room, signaling the end of the session. "Well this was a good first session Harry. I can see several points that we can discuss next week but in the meantime, I firmly believe that you'll be back in the field soon."

"That was quick." Harry muttered. He pushed himself up and started walking towards the exit. "I'll see you next week then."

Giving his new therapist a quick wave, he let himself out. Harry in the middle of pulling his hood up when he felt a solid mass bump into him. He stared at the blond who fell to the floor, rubbing her forehead while the stack of papers that she once had in her hands were slowly floating down to the ground.

"Are you alright?" He asked, holding out his hand. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you there."

Daphne silently cursed herself for turning that corner too fast but how was she supposed to know there was a wall on the other side? She blinked a few times before realizing that it wasn't a wall that she bumped into. It was an actual person... one that felt like a wall...

"No, it's my fault." Daphne said, taking his hand. "I was in a rush."

"Don't worry about it." Harry commented, handing some of the papers back to her.

Daphne took the papers back and then found herself staring at the man, unable to stop herself from looking into the greenest eyes that she's ever seen. For some reason, she couldn't deduce why there was this sense of familiarity with him. It takes her a few seconds before it finally clicked. "Harry? Harry Potter?" She whispered, "Is that you?"

Harry coughs and then looked away, breaking eye contact. "You have me confused with someone else Miss. My name is Harrison Evans." He picked up the remaining papers from the floor and handed it over. "Have a good day."

Daphne scrunched up her face as she watched his retreating back. For some reason, she didn't believe that name for a second. Her gut instinct was telling her that it was Harry so she dropped her papers to the ground and ran after him. She turned the second corner and found no traces of the mystery man. If he really was Harry and he apparated, she would have heard the loud pop but she didn't.

In fact, she didn't even hear a sound.

Daphne pondered on the identity of her mystery man as she returned to gather her belongings. What was Harry doing in this building anyway? This was a muggle medical building after all. Surely if he needed medical attention, the wizarding world would have better remedies than this place.

"Stranger and stranger..." She muttered out loud as she remembered why she was here in the first place. She quickly reorganized the papers and pulled out the first one. It was a contract for continuation of a lease that she promised to drop off to her cousin. It then hit her that Harry was standing outside this door when she bumped into him.

"Could it really be this simple?" Her curiosity getting the better of her. She knocked once and entered her Cousin Michael's office. She walked up to the reception desk and rang the small bell.

Michael poked his head out from his office. "Daphne?" He asked. "What are you doing here so early? I wasn't expecting you until later this evening."

"I know but I had other business in the neighborhood." Daphne said, pulling out the leasing contract. "Good news, your landlord agreed to your terms. All you have to do now is sign."

"That is good news." Michael said ecstatically. He pulled out his pen but before he could sign it, Daphne yanked the paper away. "What the hell?"

"I saw a guy standing outside your office just a few minutes ago..."

"I'm not sure if you notice but there are several million of us in this world..." Michael said dryly, not following her line of reasoning. "Why would I care about who you're interested in?"

"This guy had jet black hair and green eyes... and I saw him outside your office." Daphne pressed. "Is he a patient of yours?"

"No. We're not doing this Daphne." Michael said, shutting her down. "You know I can't tell you anything. It's unethical and illegal."

"Come on Michael we're family! Surely that means something to you." Daphne argued. "It's not like I'm asking you to help me bury a dead body. You don't even have to give me a verbal confirmation. Just nod your head or slip me a piece of paper when I'm not looking."

"The answer is still no and since we're on the topic of family, what's this rumor that I'm hearing about you running away from home?" He noticed the shocked look on her face. "Yeah, your mother called my mother Daphne."

"Fine, if you won't help me then I'm just going to casually bump into every single one of your clients until I see him again. It could be days... or weeks... or even months. You know how stubborn I can be Michael."

"You can't do that." He stuttered, "That's got to be harassment."

"It's not harassment if I don't talk to them." Daphne countered. She stared at her cousin, who was starting to stammer on about calling the police. "There's no law that states that I can't rent the vacant office across from you. If I do that, then it's not really harassment. At worse, it'll be unethical and I'll get a slap on the wrist but I'll still be here."

Michael knew that this could go on for hours, the battle of wits against one of the most devious witches he had the unfortunate pleasure of knowing. He sighed and gestured for the paper. "Come back an hour earlier next week. That's all I can tell you."

Daphne's eyes lit up. "Thank you." She said, taking the signed document back. She was positive that the man she bumped into was Harry Potter but given that no one has seen him after that incident, she needed to make sure. If it really is Harry, then this could be her chance to convince him to sign with Thatcher, Fletcher and Bletcher. The premier law firm in all of Europe and her current employer.

Signing him would mean that she would finally get that promotion that she always wanted.

A partner in a law firm.

* * *

Just setting the pace here.


	2. Chapter 2

Now that was an overwhelming response to the first chapter. Didn't really expect that many follows/favorites/reviews to be honest. Thank you to everyone that took an interest in this story so far. Will try not to disappoint anyone.

* * *

It's been one week since Harry started seeing his court mandated therapist and for an entire week, he debated with himself if he should continue with his sessions or not. It wasn't even his idea to go see one in the first place.

"Stupid judgement. Stupid Hermione." Harry muttered. "All she had to do was take the stand and be character witness for me but did she do that? Of course not. It wouldn't be Hermione if she didn't go off tangent somehow. I should've just pulled a random person off the streets..."

He uttered a low growl, making strangling motions with his hands. This was all her fault. How hard was it for her to do one simple thing? It wasn't like he was asking her to do something illegal. Just come down to the Ministry and provide a sound testimony. Something that she's done a hundred times when they were still in Hogwarts.

Harry sighed. It is what it is. He still remembered how mortified Hermione looked when the judge suspended him from active duty. She stood there ranting about the unfair social standards until the judge pointed out that it was because of her testimony that they arrived at this decision. While he is a valued Auror, they simply could not risk sending him into the field without a mental evaluation by a professional.

Truth be told, He's got nothing against therapy. In fact, he's all for it given the amount of positive articles he found. Many of the articles cited multiple studies that when people finish with their therapy sessions, they swear that it's life changing but studies also stated that this type of treatment wasn't meant for everyone. It was the last part that he agreed with. Like he told Michael last week, he's not one of those people who enjoy talking about their feelings and being all touchy-feely.

He's the kind of guy who would rather finish the mission with a broken arm than to stop and seek medical attention.

"Harry?" A voice calling his name pulled him out of his internal monologue. "Is that you?"

Harry turned around, recognizing the familiar blond that bumped into him last week. "Hello again Miss." He greeted, plastering on a smile on his face. "I'm afraid you still have the wrong person. Like I told you last time, my name is Harrison Evans, not Harry..." He paused, "Planter?"

"Potter." Daphne corrected, a skeptical look on her face. She took her cousin's advice but instead of showing up an hour earlier, she showed up two hours early. She spent those two hours sitting in the empty office, biding her time until _he_ showed up. Luckily for her, there wasn't a lot of foot traffic on Saturdays so it wasn't too hard to recognize him again. Even after a week, he was still wearing the same dark green hoodie.

 _It matches his eyes._ She thought to herself. Ever since Daphne laid eyes on him, she couldn't forget how green his eyes were. She smiled inwardly, pleased that he was just as she remembered. The unshaven scruffy look, untamed messy black hair and those green eyes... A girl could get lost just by looking into them.

"Right. Harry Potter." Harry said. "Well whoever he is, I'm not him. I'm Harrison Evans Miss..."

"Greengrass." She spoke up, introducing herself. "Daphne Greengrass."

Harry repeated her name several times over in his mind, now wondering why she sounded so familiar. It took him a few seconds until the name finally clicked. He recalled a blond girl in Slytherin with that name but for some reason, he couldn't put a face to it. He did, however, recall overhearing her name being whispered in the hallways but he never had the opportunity to meet her... with Voldemort and all...

The only other thing that he remembered was that the guys used to refer to her as the Ice Queen...

Daphne 'The Ice Queen' Greengrass...

The girl who wouldn't give any boy a second of her time.

He wondered if this was the same person. He held out his hand and she took it without hesitation. "It's very nice to meet you Daphne but I have an appointment that I must keep so if you'll excuse me..."

"Of course Harrison." Daphne replied, moving to one side. She frowned, a bittersweet taste in her mouth. She was positive that this man, Harrison Evans, was an alias that Harry Potter was using. She stared at his retreating back and then an idea popped into her head. Her hand slowly took her wand out of her holster and pointed it at him.

"Petrificus Totalus" She whispered, performing the incantations with her wand.

Harry felt the magic gathering behind him and he silently willed a shield into existence. While he didn't know what kind of spell was being performed, he surmised that it was probably one used to stun or stop a person. The spell scratched the surface of his shield for a nanosecond before being dissipating. He stopped walking mid-step to give off the impression that her spell worked. Anger then started to seep into his veins as the footsteps came closer.

It pissed him off that even after the war, there were still people out there that would use magic with malicious intent. Haven't their kind lost enough during the war? Hasn't everyone suffered enough already? This was the reason why he joined the Aurors after the war.

To protect people who couldn't protect themselves.

To uphold the ideals of justice when no one else would.

Neville once asked him why he chose to join up with the Aurors. Didn't he want to step away from the fighting and start a normal life? Harry almost laughed in his face. He wanted to tell him that there was no way he could ever have a normal life. He was Harry Potter, the man who took down a dark lord. Every minor league criminal from all over the world wanted to be the one to take him down. Criminals and people alike, all they wanted was Harry Potter, the savior, but no one wanted to know Harry Potter... the man behind the name.

Ginny had tried but even she couldn't see past the knight in those fairy tales.

When Daphne finally walked up to him, his eyes continued to stare past her, scanning the area behind her to make sure that this wasn't some kind of coordinated attack. Her head then tilted slightly to one side, as if she was pondering something but when her hand was about to touch his forehead, his hand shot up and grabbed her wrist. His magic then flooded the room and he glared at her.

"I don't take kindly to people who are after my life Miss Greengrass."

Daphne stood there shocked at the sheer amount of magic just radiating from Harry. It was unfathomable just how one man could produce this much magic. Her body started shaking, unable to withstand the pressure coming from him. "Harry please, I'm not after your life!" She pleaded, begging him to stop. "I wasn't going to attack you!"

"Why should I believe anything that you have to say? You just tried to curse a defenseless man." Harry snarled, "And on top of that, you attempted to curse a lord. I am well within my rights to end your life right here."

At this point, the door to Michael's office suddenly swung open, the therapist stepped out holding a baseball bat. He took a quick look around and recognized the two people standing outside. "Daphne? Harry?" He asked, wondering what was going on between them.

"Even if I decide to grant you some mercy, do you even know what the punishment is for attacking an Auror?"

"You attacked him Daphne?" Michael asked, shocked at the allegation. "Are you insane? What were you thinking? You can't go around doing that!"

"I wasn't attacking him." Daphne weakly argued. "I wanted to confirm if he really was Harry Potter."

Harry sighed and then dropped his hand, pulling his magic back as well. Daphne released the breath that she was holding and then took a step back, giving herself some distance between herself and Harry. "That was unnecessary." She mumbled, massaging her wrist. "It's not like I could have hurt you anyway. Did the spell have any kind of effect on you at all?" She wondered out loud.

"What do you want with me Miss Greengrass?" Harry curtly asked, intentionally ignoring her question.

"I just want a few minutes of your time to talk Harry. I'm working for a law firm that is very interested in signing you as a client." Daphne said, her hands shaking as she pulled out a business card from her pocket.

Harry took the card and recognized the familiar names of Thatcher, Bletcher and Fletcher. This was one of the many law firms that tried to sign him after he defeated Voldemort. "I'm not interested." He replied, handing the business card back to Daphne. "I don't need any legal representation and even if I did, I certainly wouldn't take it from someone who just tried to hex me."

Daphne winced, knowing that the last part was a jab at her. She swallowed the sinking feeling and reached for his hand. "Are you sure about that Harry? Everyone knows that you're a powerful wizard. No one is disputing that fact but a man of your status can only go so far. Having a law firm like ours standing behind you is only an added bonus. I'm not that naive to think that we would be the only ones that attempted to contact you but what I can guarantee is that if you sign with us, I'll make sure that you never regret that decision."

His eyes flickered between her hand and the determined look in her eyes. "And what if I said no?" He challenged, staring into her eyes, almost if he was daring her to continue.

Never one to back down from a challenge, Daphne shamelessly smiled. "Do you know the definition of perseverance Mister Potter?"

"Unfortunately I do..." Harry dryly replied. He looked towards Michael for some help but his therapist just held his arms up, wanting nothing to do with their conversation.

"All I'm asking for is one outing Harry. It doesn't even need to be a date. It can be drinks between friends."

"A Date?" Michael chimed in, looking strangely at his cousin. "Are you trying to ask Harry out on a date or get his business?"

Daphne then blushed, a pinkish hue appearing on her cheeks as she slugged Michael in the arm. "So what do you say Harry? I'm sure that you have much better things to do than to continue dodging me."

"I can always ring you up on charges you know." Harry muttered, his eyes staring at Daphne. "And then request a restraining order against you..."

"But then you'll have to see me in court and as you know, I'm a lawyer and I will drag this case out until you concede." She cheekily replied. "I have nothing but time on my hands Harry."

Harry opened his mouth to counter argue but then proceeded to promptly close it, realizing that he wasn't going to win that argument. "Stubbornness is not a good look for you Miss Greengrass." He pointed out. "Do you know that pub on Elmhurst?"

"Yes." Daphne nodded. "Do you want to meet me there?"

"If I must."

* * *

Thoughts? Questions? Reviews?


	3. Chapter 3

A big thank you to everyone who is following along with this story. I recently just looked back at my earlier stories from maybe 8+ years ago... and I was surprised I was churning out 8k chapters. Compared to what I'm writing now, I'm amazed that I was able to spin them without an actual plot point. Ah to have such a bigger imagination when I was younger.

Anyway, thank you for reading.

* * *

Her heart continued to hammer against her chest even as she walked towards the pub. This was silly. There was nothing to be nervous about. Daphne tried convincing herself that this wasn't a date. This was purely a business arrangement. She was trying to convince him to sign with her firm, not trying to get in bed with him.

 _Although the latter doesn't seem like a bad idea. Just imagine him naked between the sheets..._

Daphne coughed and ignored the burning sensation on her cheeks. She was glad that he wasn't here or else it would have been another awkward encounter. She closed her eyes, trying to block out her memories of their earlier meetings. It was so embarrassing now that she had time to think about it. She must have looked like a lunatic.

A small groan escaped her lips as she contemplated banging her head against a nearby wall. It was a miracle that Harry even agreed to sit down with her. If their roles were reversed, she would have avoided him like the plague, chalking him up to be another deranged stalker.

"Focus Daphne." She told herself. "Yes, your first two impressions with Harry were terrible. No one is going to disagree but there's still time to salvage this. Just focus on the goal."

It didn't take her long to make it to Elmhurst, immediately recognizing the pub that Harry picked. Daphne wrinkled her nose at the place, noticing that it stood out from the rest of the neighborhood buildings. Her hand reached for the gold handle on the wooden door and yanked it open, a warm gush of wind brushing her face as she entered.

"Sit anywhere you want hun." The barkeeper greeted from behind the bar. "Someone will be right with you."

Daphne smiled in return and made her way to the back, picking a corner booth that overlooked the entrance. As she sat down, it was clear to her that this pub was a little outdated compared to the ones that she normally visited. It wasn't bad but her subconsciousness immediately came up with at least ten things that could benefit from an upgrade, like these booths for example.

It struck her as odd that Harry would pick a muggle establishment over one of their own. From what she could see, there was no set theme to this place. Objects were randomly placed all over the place. A painting of Elton John hung over the bar while opposite of a western cowboy and his cow. None of this made any sense to her but then again, neither did Harry.

He was as mysterious as they come. Even back during Hogwarts, they didn't have much interaction. He was a Gryffindor and she was a Slytherin. It was scandalous to even fathom the idea of being friends with a lion. Despite the house prejudice, she wanted to meet him but it was the fear of being ostracized by her own housemates that prevented her from doing so.

It wasn't until his triumph over Voldemort did she finally understand that in the grand scheme of things, there was no such thing as blood purity. Harry proved that it wasn't blood that defined you. It was who you are. All those ideas that were instilled into her while growing up were shattered by one man who dared to defy the norm. She wanted to reach out and thank him but never quite found the opportunity. Every time she worked up the courage to go visit Harry, he was never in one place. She tried several times but he was either off on some mission or spending time with that _girlfriend_ of his.

 _Ginny Weasley_

The name left a sour taste in her mouth. Everyone knew Ginny Weasley. She was the envy of every woman because of her perfect life. She had it all. A career with the Winbourne Wasps and a relationship with Harry Potter. Everything was picture perfect until _that_ scandal became public.

They painted her as a victim of a loveless relationship and she gave her story to the public. A story that was too perfect for Daphne's liking. There was something about it that didn't sit right with her but she couldn't put her finger on it. She dismissed it as biased reporting until she ran into Harry that made her question the narrative.

If he was the one that cheated, then why does he look so miserable?

"So what can I getcha?" A waitress asked, standing there with a notepad in hand. Her presence brought Daphne out of her thoughts.

"Two beers, please. Any will do." She replied, unsure of what Harry would like. The waitress held up her hand with two fingers towards the bar and walked away.

The bells then jingled from the door and Daphne looked up to see him walking in, his hood up and covering his head. It must have started raining outside because she noticed a few droplets of water on his hair. She resisted the urge to run her hands through it. It wouldn't be to her enjoyment of course. She just didn't him to catch a cold.

Harry took a quick look around and found Daphne sitting in a booth. He walked over and sat down on the worn-out leather seat, not bothering to remove his hood. He noticed her fidgeting in her seat and sighed. "Let's get this over with." He muttered, his voice a little raspy.

"I ordered two beers. I hope that's okay." Daphne replied, trying to keep her nerves in check. "So how was your day?"

Harry raised his brow, "You were there." He pointed out, his lips turning upward into a small smirk. "You tried to hex me remember?"

"Oh right." Daphne stuttered, her cheeks blushing. How should she have forgotten already? It literally just happened. She took a deep breath and swallowed the lump in her throat. "Are you happy Harry? Like truly happy with your legal representation? I know what you said earlier and I just want to understand your situation. If at the end of this conversation that you still don't want to sign with my firm then I'll happily accept that."

She momentarily paused as the beers arrived at her table and she took a quick sip before continuing. "If you heard about my company then you know that it was ranked the top law firm by public consensus. Our records should speak for themselves..."

"I know your firm very well Miss Greengrass." Harry interrupted, folding his hands on the table. "Several of your firm's partners have made that abundantly clear to me. I also know that most, if not all, of the pure-bloods, have already signed with your company. What I don't know is why you care if I sign or not. I'm just one guy. There's no difference between me and someone else."

"It's not about that Harry. It's about protecting your way of life. If you sign with us, it is basically telling everyone else that you're untouchable. With an army of the best lawyers standing behind you, only a fool would make an enemy out of you. There's no downside to this deal."

Harry shook his head. "You're misunderstanding me. I want to know why _you_ , Daphne Greengrass, is so interested in signing me. Your firm has contacted me several times in the past, even going as far as sending several expensive gifts but here you are, sitting alone in a pub with me. What makes you think that if those guys couldn't succeed with their lavish presents that you would with just a beer? What are you expecting to gain from this?"

Daphne choked on her drink, coughing as the liquid went down the wrong pipe. "Nothing Harry." She said, quickly recovering from her initial shock. "This is just a friendly conversation. Like I told you earlier, there won't be any hard feelings if you decline."

She took another sip of beer, allowing the bitter liquid to calm her nerves. She didn't expect Harry to be so sharp, picking up on the things that she's not saying. Bumping into Harry might have been a coincidence but she wasn't going to let this opportunity slip out of her hands. If she was able to land _the_ Harry Potter, then she could leverage that into a promotion that she rightfully deserves.

"I don't like it when I'm being manipulated." Harry finally spoke up, his tone devoid of any emotion. "I thought you were different. I could've overlooked the earlier incident because I thought you were curious but this? This is not something I can forgive." He pushed himself up from the table and slapped down several bills to cover the drinks even though he didn't touch his. "Do us both a favor and don't cross my path again." He murmured.

Daphne sat there speechless as she watched him walk out. This was not how she envisioned their meeting would go. She expected that there would be some tension and maybe some accusations but not this. "How did it go so wrong...?" She mumbled, staring at the now empty seat.

No answer was needed because Daphne knew where she went wrong and for some reason, seeing that disappointed look on his face hurt more than running head first into a Stupefy. She stifled a groan that threatened to escape her lips as she slumped down into her seat, wishing that this never happened.

The next morning, Daphne woke up disgusted with herself. She lost sight of who she was. Yes, she can be competitive, devious, calculating but she was not selfish. She would never hurt someone intentionally just to further her own goals but after what happened last night, she couldn't even look herself in the mirror. She strolled into the office, thinking of ways that she could possibly make it up to her cousin and Harry. She shouldn't have put them in such compromising positions.

As she sat at her desk, the voice of her manager echoed through the office. "Greengrass! Do you even know what you've done?" He angrily snarled, throwing the paper onto her desk. "What the hell were you even thinking?!"

From the corner of her eye, she could hear the whispers starting and everyone stood up, wondering what got their manager, Ricky, so riled up. Daphne paid them no attention, pulling her emotions back into her 'Ice Queen' facade.

"I don't know what you're talking about Ricky." She coolly answered. It was rare for him to be out of his office. In all her years of working here, the only time she's seen him out in public like this if there was anything that could jeopardize his position at the firm. It was no secret that no one liked the man. He was rude, selfish and if she was being honest, a short bald man who was used to bullying his way to the top.

Ricky turned the paper over, his finger now stabbing at the front page picture. "Why were you out with Potter last night?" He demanded. "Our senior partners were going to take another run at him but thanks to your meddling, they're scraping that plan! They think for some reason you were trying to sign Potter by yourself! Tell me that wasn't what you were doing."

"You need to get your facts right Ricky. What I do with Potter after company hours is my own business and it does not concern you or anyone else at this firm." Daphne countered. "I didn't see anything in the company bylaws that I couldn't go get a drink with my friend. We were classmates at Hogwarts you know."

"Is that a fact? You're honestly telling me that the both of you are friends?" Ricky asked. "How come I've never heard of you mention him once?"

"Maybe because you're an asshole." Daphne muttered under her breath. She then snatched the paper out of his hand. "What do you want me to say, Ricky? I like keeping my personal life far away from my job as possible."

Ricky pondered over her comment for a few seconds before smiling. "Yes... I think that's a good idea... a marvelous idea in fact..." He stopped in mid-thought when he realized that the entire office was staring at him. His face turned bright red from embarrassment. "What the hell is everyone staring at? I'm not paying you to look at my pretty face!" He barked out. "Get your asses back to work before I send you all to the unemployment office!"

Everyone quickly scrambled back to their desks, avoiding eye contact with their manager. Daphne turned her attention back to the papers, just wondering how her life was spiraling out of control so fast. Her eyes lingered on the photograph, showing their brief meeting at the bar. As she watched her manager stroll back into his office, she was starting to get a sinking feeling in her stomach.

A sixth sense that left her worried.

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See you next chapter. If you like it, review it.


	4. Chapter 4

Took longer than usual. This chapter just didn't flow. Apologies in advance. Enjoy and let me know your thoughts so far.

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"Hey Michael, are you in there?" Daphne asked, knocking twice on the dark wooden door. It was just a quarter past seven and she knew that her cousin liked to be in the office early to catch up on some paperwork. She could hear the faint sounds of him fumbling behind the door. "It's me, Daphne. I was hoping that we can talk."

It took a few seconds before the door swung open, revealing Michael with a disheveled look. He looked like he slept in his office last night. He stifled a yawn as he leaned against the door, his arms folded against his chest. "This isn't a good time right now Daphne." He exclaimed, "What do you want?"

She took a step back, noticing the stern yet tired look on her cousin's face. She bit her lips and looked away, the guilt eating away at her. "Look I'm sorry about causing a scene in front of your office. I know that I put you in an awkward position with Harry and if there was a way for me to undo it, I would do it in a heartbeat. You have to know that I didn't do it on purpose..."

A groan escaped his lips as he shook his head. "You're so lucky that your my favorite cousin Daphne. If it was anyone else, I wouldn't even have opened the door for them." He stepped away from the door and gestured for her to come in. "So what brings you to my office so early in the morning? I know you didn't just come down here just to apologize to me."

"Maybe I felt that apologizing in person is better than apologizing over the phone. I do have manners you know." Daphne argued, lightly elbowing him in the ribs as she strolled past him.

Michael rolled his eyes. "I've known you since you were in diapers. You can't fool me. Something's clearly bothering you." He pointed out. "It's written all over your face."

"It's nothing." She replied, looking at everything else but Michael. She took a seat on the couch, testing the pleather. She heard him clearing his throat and turned her attention back to him. "What? I'm telling you that I'm fine."

Michael frowned. If he had a knut for every time a woman told him that they were fine, he would be on a beach somewhere retired and drinking Piña Coladas. He also knew from personal experience that underneath that 'Ice Queen' facade of hers, she is a very reserved person. Getting her to open up would be like pulling teeth from a shark. You need to tread carefully or you'll end up losing more than just your hand. He watched her carefully as she played around with the throw pillows, rearranging them over and over.

This reminded him of the time when they were younger and she accidentally broke his mother's favorite vase. She wanted to come clean but he convinced her that it's better to blame their pet dog. Of course, by the end of the day, Daphne couldn't keep such a secret so she ended up crying and telling his mother what actually happened. Needless to say, they were banned from playing in the house that summer.

"Hey... Do you think I'm a horrible person Michael?" Daphne finally asked, her arms tightly clutching a pillow to her chest. "Do you believe all those rumors that people said about me?"

The question came as a surprise to him. He took a seat next to her and smiled. "You're not a horrible person Daphne." He softly said. "Why on earth would you think of yourself like that?"

"I'm pretty sure that's the impression Harry has of me." She mumbled. "You should have seen how disappointed he looked after he accused me of manipulating him."

"And were you manipulating him?"

Daphne scoffed. "Of course not. You know that I would never resort to _his_ level." She bitterly said. "I gave Harry all the information that he needed to know to make an informed choice. It's not like I was trying to get him to sign his fortune away. All I wanted was to sign him as my client."

"Is that all you were trying to do?"

"What do you mean?" Daphne asked, confused by the question. "What else would I be doing?"

"Oh I don't know... maybe flirting with Harry?" Michael suggested, wiggling his eyebrows. "I've seen the way you act in front of Harry and don't think I miss you blushing in front of him. Just admit it, you like the guy Daphne!"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Daphne dryly answered, shooting daggers at him. "And even if I was, there's no way that he would be interested in someone like me."

"See, that's your problem Daphne. You're already writing Harry off as someone superficial. You're making the same mistake that everyone else did and judged him from a distance. If what he said bothered you, you need to go confront him." Michael said. "Make him understand why you did what you did and if Harry is the man that I think he is, he'll understand."

 _Would he really understand though?_ She pondered to herself. Did she really want to take another chance of making a fool out of herself? Neither of those times left a good impression of her on him and she certainly did not want to try for a third time.

 _But maybe third time is the charm_.

Daphne swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded her head. "Fine, what's the worst that can happen right?"

"That's the spirit." Michael enthusiastically answered. "And just to answer your question, there's nothing worse than humiliating yourself in front of someone you like."

"Why would you tell me that?" She groaned, covering her face with a pillow. "I'm already having second thoughts about this and you're not helping!" She scowled, banishing several pillows, including the one she had, into her cousin's face.

She walked over to her desk and quickly scribbled a note, sealing it inside an envelope. "Do you think you can give it to Harry?"

"Might as well. Today's my last appointment with Harry anyway." Michael answered from under the pillows. "I'm going to refer him to another one of my colleagues who actually specializes in anger management."

"Wait why? Are you in trouble?"

"It's nothing like that," Michael said, reassuring her. "This is just a conflict of interest. I can't in good faith have Harry as a patient when I know that my baby cousin has the hots for him."

"I don't like Harry!" Daphne responded, her cheeks blushing a pinkish hue. "You can't like someone that you don't know!"

"Maybe not but what do you have to lose?"

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"Honestly Harry! Can't you clean out your fireplace like a normal person?" Hermione's voice rang out from the living room.

Harry silently chuckled, smiling at her unfortunate mess. "You missed a spot." He pointed out as she entered the kitchen. His left hand tapped the spot on his forehead as he sat there calmly drinking his coffee.

She gasped and ran to a mirror, double checking herself for any other spots that Harry might have intentionally forgotten to tell her about. "I hope you're enjoying yourself, mister!"

"I am." Harry cheekily answered, "So are you here to check up on me?"

"Of course not." Hermione quickly replied, her eyes adverting his. "You're an adult Harry. You certainly do not need anyone keeping tabs on you, especially a witch who might feel guilty about putting you on suspension in the first place." She quickly added.

"Okay stop Hermione." Harry held up his hands, gesturing for her to ease up. "Let's get this straight. Yes, this is your fault and yes, I might harbor some irritation towards you but no, I am not angry with you."

"It's just that..."

"Enough already." Harry interrupted, already growing tired of her endless apologies. "I've already forgiven you so just take a seat and join me for breakfast. I assume you haven't eaten yet right?"

She nodded, sitting there fidgeting with her hands. A cup of coffee appeared in front of her and she took a deep breath, taking in the fresh aroma. "Thank you." Hermione whispered. "I couldn't stand the thought of you hating me as well..."

"That's never going to happen." Harry snorted. He broke off a piece of toast and threw it at Hermione, wanting to knock her out of her depressing mood. "You've been stuck with me since I saved you from that troll. If Voldemort couldn't get rid of me, what makes you think you can?"

Hermione giggled, throwing the toast into Harry's cup. "If that's the case, why don't you come over for dinner tonight? We can order from your favorite restaurant."

"Pass." Harry firmly replied, flicking the now soggy toast out of his cup. "You and I can go out and get some food but the _three_ of us won't be doing anything together until he apologies."

"Harry please." She pleaded. "Don't you think this has gone on long enough?"

"He threw me out of the house Hermione. The man who I consider a brother, who I would gladly give my life for, threw me out like how my uncle Vernon used to do. It's not something that I can overlook. I can forgive his temper, I can forgive his attitude, I can forgive all of that but the one thing that I _cannot_ forgive is the way he treated me. I didn't ask him to choose sides, Hermione. I understand that it's hard on him but doesn't he understand that it's hard on me as well?"

"He does." Hermione said, "But Ron is stubborn. You know that."

"I do know that but that's no excuse not to listen to reason." Harry growled. "All this time, I've been thinking how to get through to that fiancé of yours and the only way possible solution that I came up with is to just beat the memory into him. Force him to acknowledge the evidence but I didn't do that. It was out of respect for you that I didn't kick his ass."

"Yes but -"

"No more buts Hermione. Look I know you came here trying to fix our relationship but it's not going to happen. Ron isn't a child anymore. He's a man who is about to marry my best friend. He should have enough balls to come over here himself and apologize. My door is always going to be open to him but I'm not making the first move. Not this time."

Hermione bit her tongue, knowing that anything else she said would further piss him off. She sighed and reached for his hand, giving him a gentle squeeze. "No matter what happens Harry, you'll always have me."

"No I won't Hermione." Harry bitterly said. "I will never ask you to choose me over Ron. That's just a recipe for a doomed relationship. Trust me... I know that better than anyone. We're not teenagers in Hogwarts anymore, we're adults and you're about to get married. Choosing me over Ron is basically just a slap in his face. He'll never get over that just like he'll never get over the fact that his perfect little sister was just a two-timing whore."

"I know." She whispered. "But you know he'll come around. He always does. Just give him some time."

"And you need to stop covering for him. Gods Hermione, he's a grown man. His mistakes are not your mistakes and I am not always going to be waiting around for him to pull his head out of his ass."

Her eyes widened at the implication. "Are you going to throw everything away because of this? Because of _her?_ "

"That's for him to decide. He knows where I stand." Harry answered, drinking the rest of his coffee. "I'm not the one who started this but I sure as hell will finish it."

"I'll try to talk some more sense into him tonight." Hermione pleaded, "But please don't give up on him just yet. He's having a hard time dealing with that scandal and when he doesn't know what to believe, he takes his frustration out on the wrong people."

"I know Hermione but he's the last person that I expected to believe that horse crap of the prophet. I can understand why random strangers on the streets are giving me dirty looks but him?" Harry said, shaking his head. "After all we've been through?" He gritted his teeth, trying to push back that anger. "Sometimes it makes me wonder why I'm even friends with him in the first place."

"Despite all that, you're still coming to our wedding right? If not for Ron then for me right?" She asked, unconsciously holding onto her breath. She can deal with the headaches that came with Molly Weasley and she can deal with the long nights where she wanted to strangle Ron but what she cannot deal with is not having Harry there. He was her best friend and to get married without him being there is inconceivable.

He was there for every important moment in her life. Restoring her parents' memories... her first job... her engagement party... Not to mention the countless birthdays and other precious moments they had over the years... He was her family and it would break her heart if he wasn't there.

She watched as Harry turned around, a disappointed look on his face and her heart drop. Tears started to swell up in her eyes. She closed her eyes, wishing the tears away and then she felt a tissue being dabbed against her cheeks. Her eyes opened and saw Harry down on one knee, smiling and shaking his head.

"If you think for a second that I would miss your wedding... my best friend's wedding... you must be crazy."

Hermione said nothing as she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a hug. "Thank you." She whispered, sniffling as she started laughing. "You are an ass Harry Potter."

"Now we're even." He answered, chuckling. "So this wedding... I don't have to do anything but show up right?"

"I think you get a pass this time around Mister Potter." Hermione said, "Do you think you'll be coming alone or with a date?"

Harry snorted. Who was he supposed to bring as a date? All the females that he knew ran in the same circles as Ginny and there was no way he was going to ask any of them. He rather bring buckbeak to the reception. At least with the damn hippogriff, he would have a fun time and he wouldn't be involved with any pointless drama. "Haven't decided yet." He answered.

"In that case, then how are those therapy sessions coming along?"

Harry didn't answer, merely snapping his fingers and a water materialized on top of her, drenching her clothes in cold water. She instantly jumped up to her feet and ran out of the room. He could hear her cursing his name but he didn't care. The clock's hand just struck ten and he was already walking out the door for his appointment.

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Reviews please. I enjoy them.


	5. Chapter 5

Hope everyone is enjoying these chapters. It would have came out sooner but you know... Superbowl and all...

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Every second that passed, she could feel the faint thump of her heart, beating in rhythm with the seconds of the clock. The more she stared at the clock, the more she's slowly starting to panic. Daphne felt the insides of her stomach churning, her nerves getting the best of her. This was silly. It was just dinner between two people.

This was definitely not a date... but then why did it have the symptoms of all the first date jitters?

She mentally lectured herself for even thinking like that. There was no way that Harry could remotely be interested in her. At best, she was probably known as the girl who tried hexing him. A groan escaped her lips as she dropped her head to the table, wishing that she had a time turner... or the ability to confidently obliviate herself.

After a few more seconds of moping on the table, Daphne picked her head up and looked at the clock, watching time as it slowly counted down. She sighed and turned her head, looking out the window now. It was a temporarily distraction. She knew that but she didn't care. Anything was better than looking at that dreaded clock and wondering if Harry would show or not.

As she looked out from her seat, staring into the outside world, her lips slowly curled into a smile. From her seat, she had a perfect view of the River Thames, able to see how magnificent it was. She wasn't alone though. There were a couple of people standing by the river walls, looking out and taking pictures. Her hand unconsciously reached for the water, taking a refreshing sip.

Daphne tore her eyes away from the window, returning her attention back to the empty seat in front of her. "I hope he doesn't get lost..." She murmured. This restaurant was a little bit isolated as a grove of trees obscured the entrance so not many people know its real purpose. Underneath the guise and outdated look, it was actually a functioning restaurant ready to serve its hungry patrons.

It was one of the reasons why she picked this place. Aside from the food, it was a perfect spot where no one knew who they really are. There wouldn't be any paparazzi or journalists hounding them. They could be themselves.

They could be normal for a night.

The clock finally struck eight and Daphne kept her eyes focused on the door. "Your move Mister Potter..." She whispered, holding her breath to see if he was going to show up. She mentally prepared herself for the possibility of dining alone, unfazed by the notion. All she needed was a good bottle of Merlot and she could drink her embarrassment away.

She waited with bated breath as the door opened, the bell on top of it chiming to alert the waiters of another customer. A man entered and her eyes were immediately drawn to him. Relief washed over her as she recognized Harry, who stood there looking confused. She took another sip of water as her eyes gave him a quick once-over, appreciating the clothes that he was wearing. The navy blazer complemented the white shirt he was wearing with those dark color jeans. The man certainly did look good in those jeans...

Daphne choked on her water, pushing that thought away. She mentally scolded herself. This was purely platonic and she needed to get her mind out of the gutter.

The waiter at the door pointed in her direction and she started to panic. She could feel her heart beating faster and faster. Her eyes stared at Harry as he started to walk over. What was she supposed to do? Does she get up and shake his hand or should she just sit here and smile? Her mind started screaming at her to do something.

Harry looked towards the back and easily found Daphne sitting there, awkwardly smiling at him. As he walked over, he took notice of the decorum along the walls and found them very interesting. It wasn't every day that you would see a restaurant in London filled with replicas from America during the 1960s. "Miss Greengrass..." He curtly acknowledged. "You must be a glutton for punishment. Even after I told you to never cross my path again, you still seek me out. I don't know if that's bravery or stupidity."

"I know Harry but I promise that I only did this to apologize to you." Daphne explained. "I can take a magical oath if that's what it'll take for you to believe me."

"Fickle things those magical oaths..." Harry muttered. He took a seat in front of Daphne and shook his head. "I don't need you to give me a magical oath. I believe in trusting people and you, Miss Greengrass, do not have my trust. Why should I believe anything that you have to say?"

"You can't and I can't give you a good reason to trust me. Truth is, I screwed up and I betrayed your trust. I was selfish and I lost sight of what truly matters and for that, I apologize Harry. I know that trust isn't something that is easily given but if possible, I would like to earn it back, along with a third chance at a first impression."

"And what if I refuse? Maybe I think this whole endeavor is just a waste of my time."

"But yet, here you are. You could have easily ignored my invitation but you didn't. There must be a reason why you're here tonight, sitting with me."

"Fine."

"...Fine? What do you mean by fine?"

"It means what it means Miss Greengrass. Forgiveness is easy so if you want me to forgive you. Fine. I forgive you." Harry stated, his eyes staring straight at her. "But that doesn't mean I will trust you."

Daphne sat there, a little taken back by his attitude. She knew that there was a chance that all of this might be for naught but to actually hear him dismissing her like that? It was a little humiliating to say the least. Her cheeks flushed red as she shrunk under his gaze, unsure of what to do now. All that courage that she had disappeared just like that. She opened her mouth, telling him to wait but instead of the words that she wanted to say, her brain decided to say the first thing that came to mind.

"Why are you being such an ass Harry?"

Her words came out like a whisper and Harry did a double take, making sure that he heard her correctly. "Excuse me?" He asked. "What did you say?"

"It's not a secret that you're irritated Harry. I can see past that facade of yours and you're still upset with me." Daphne answered, her shoulders slumped against the chair. "While it's hard to believe anything coming out of my mouth, I'm really trying to make it up to you. I could have just apologized in that note but for some asinine reason, I thought it would mean a lot more if I apologized in person but I see that it didn't matter. You live in your own world Harry, only held back by what you think is correct. The rules don't apply to someone like you."

"Is that what you think of me?" Harry growled, narrowing his eyes. "That I'm too arrogant to understand your plight?" His voice remained calm but his eyes flashed with magical power. "If I was the man that you think I am, I would have ended your life when you attacked me. I would have killed you without a second thought but I didn't. I'm not like the rest of your kind. If I was, you wouldn't be here right now."

"My kind? What do you mean my kind?" She exclaimed, his words struck a nerve with her. "Are you referring to the fact that I was in Slytherin and you were in Gryffindor? That I was a snake and you were Dumbledore's golden boy?" Anger started to seep into her words. "I'll have you know _Mister Potter_ that I have never once discriminated anyone based on which houses they were sorted into! In fact, why are you even bringing that up? I was never one for blood purity. That is the dumbest idea I've ever heard of in my life. Despite everything that happened in the last decade, I am not one of them. I never was! And for the record my best friend is a half-blood so I am the last person on this very planet that would be so ignorant."

"I was actually talking about your family's status... you know you being part of the Noble House of Greengrass..." Harry replied, a little taken back by her tirade. "Why on earth did you think I was talking about our houses from Hogwarts? That was years ago and I don't care if you were in Slytherin or Hugglepuff. To me, you're Daphne Greengrass, the girl who tried to hex me when my back was turned."

Daphne's jar dropped, taken by surprise. Of course he was talking about blood purity. She knew exactly how he felt, the purebloods who thought that they were better than the rest. She met most of them throughout her lifetime and she can say without a doubt that she hated it. The scene replayed over in her mind and her cheeks turned red from embarrassment. Her hand went up in an attempt to cover her face but it didn't do anything.

"Can we... forget the last part?" She managed to squeaked out. "Please."

"Tell you what, why don't I just go?" Harry offered, pushing himself up. "I think our business is concluded anyway." He paused, his eyes glancing over to her. He sighed and was about to walk away when her hand reached out for his, stopping him from moving. He turned back around, confusion written across his face. "Is there something else?"

"Wait please." She softly said. "This... is new to me. Not the apology but this interaction between us. I know that sometimes I come off... for a lack of a better term... a bitch but I swear I'm not one. I just... have a hard time opening up to people..."

Harry nodded, able to understand that sentiment. "I don't see how that matter involves me Miss Greengrass."

"Harry... Why did you come tonight?"

"Why does that matter?"

"Because I don't want to be that person that forces someone into doing something against their will. I don't ever want to be that person."

"Then why bother with all of this? Why not just walk away? I certainly gave you enough chances to do so."

Daphne flinched at his words. She tore her eyes away from Harry and stared at the table, wondering why she kept coming back. For one thing, there was always Harry... but that was just a superficial answer. If truth be told, she just wanted his company. She was tired of going home to an empty apartment. With Tracey being all the way in America, she didn't have anyone else that she considered friends.

Sure there were her office co-workers but hanging out with them was more like hanging out with immature boys. They were always having one of their little competitions to see who can drink the most or who can pick up the most witches while dressed up like a muggle. It was because of them that she rather bury herself in work. It was the lesser of two evils.

With Harry... there was something about him that was familiar to her. She couldn't explain it but there was this attraction and she was drawn to him like the way a moth was drawn to light.

"I can't." She eventually mumbled. "I just find you interesting Harry Potter. Is that a crime?"

"If it was, I would have been arrested a long time ago."

Little by little, Daphne saw something on Harry that she didn't think was possible. She watched as the corner of his lips tugged upward, turning it into a little smile. She silently cheered, making a mental note to order a glass of Champagne for this occasion.

"Oh my Daphne. You look so beautiful tonight. It must be a special occasion for you and your handsome date."

The two of them turned their attention to an elderly woman who stood in front of their table with a big smile on her face. She was dressed in a pink and white apron holding a small notepad. "Ma!" Daphne cried out, throwing her hands up in an attempt to stop her from talking.

The waitress, 'Ma', dodged the futile attempts and pulled Daphne to her feet before turning her attention to Harry. "I hope you told your date just how beautiful she looks." Ma pointed out, her hand drawing his attention to the beige dress. "Women love compliments if you haven't already figured that out."

Harry sat there looking confused. He watched as the waitress made Daphne walk out and twirl around and he found himself unable to tear his eyes away. He merely nodded his head as he continued to look, knowing that it was impolite to stare.

"Okay that's enough. I'm getting dizzy." Daphne said after the fifth spin. "So Pa let you out of the kitchen tonight? What happened to Katherine? Is she off again?"

"She had an emergency with Walter." Ma answered, refilling both of their cups with water. "It's no trouble, gives me something different to do. I rather be out here staring at your gorgeous date than looking at some wrinkly old bastard anyway."

Daphne giggled and turned her attention back to Ma. "Do you think I can just have my usual but in a larger portion size? I think we'll share tonight..." She paused and looked towards Harry for confirmation. Harry felt two pairs of eyes staring at him and he merely shrugged his shoulders in response.

"Of course dear. I keep telling you that you need more meat on those bones of yours. Honestly, how else are you going to land this fine gentleman? He looks like he can handle himself in the bedroom."

"MA!" Daphne all but shouted, her cheeks going bright red while Harry choked on his water. They turned to the elderly woman who stood there holding her notepad in an attempt to hide her laughter.

"I'll hold on to this one if I were you Daphne. At least your sex life won't be boring." Ma commented as she left the table, leaving the two of them speechless.

"So she was interesting..." Harry commented after a few minutes of awkward silence. "How do you know her?"

"It's a long story." Daphne muttered, glaring daggers at their waitress. "I'm sure you have better things to do than to listen to me rant about how I met Ma.

"Nope. This seems like a great story." Harry insisted, genuinely curious to know more.

She sighed and played around with the napkin in her lap before continuing. "Her real name is Eunice Hartilly but everyone that comes here knows her as 'Ma'. She's been the owner of the restaurant for over fifty years and I don't think she's going to stop. I've been coming here since I got lost wandering around Muggle London by myself. I was hungry and didn't have any muggle currency when I wandered into this place so she took pity on me."

"So how's the food?" Harry asked, picking up the spare menu. "It must be great if you keep coming back."

"The food here is amazing!" Daphne said, excitement in her voice. "It's a mixture of whatever Ma loved when she went overseas. She practically tried everything and said it was the worst rubbish thing she's ever had so when she came back, she decided to try and cook it herself. Wait until you try her cooking Harry, it'll make you think twice about almost not showing up tonight."

She didn't hear any disagreement from him so she pressed on. "Which by the way, if you weren't here with me tonight Harry, what would you be doing?" She asked, "Prowling for the future Missus Potter?"

"No." Harry firmly answered and then cleared his throat, lowering his voice. "I mean no. I don't go out much... not after what happened. I just want to be left alone, contrary to what the prophet says."

"Everyone knows that the prophet has become nothing more than a gossip outlet these days Harry. I'm surprised you haven't done anything to silence them yet."

"They can print whatever they want about me. I don't care since there'll be a massive restructuring coming soon for that paper. I hear the new owner isn't pleased with the way it's been hemorrhaging money for the past few years and he isn't keen that they keep focusing all their attention on me."

"And how do you know all of that?" She asked, "Do you have the inside scoop?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "Who knows? There are plenty of reasons out there Miss Greengrass." He coyly answered.

"Or maybe, and this is purely hypothetical, that you brought out the paper because you were tired of them."

Again, Harry shrugged his shoulders, a coy smile on his face. His eyes were a different story though. She found them staring back at her, almost if he was able to read her inner most thoughts. They were just so green that she wanted to keep staring into them. She leaned in, gesturing for him to come closer and whispered. "I don't think they understand who you really are Harry..."

"And who do you think I am?" He whispered back, captivated by her earnest. His eyes blinked a few times, leaning back to reassess the situation.

Daphne was disappointed that he pulled away, her body screaming at her to get closer but she held back. "To me, you're just Harry Potter, the man who was dealt a bad hand. I know you're the savior, the boy-who-lived, the man who redefined standard Auror practices but to me, you're just Harry Potter... the boy who I went to Hogwarts with."

"And what do you hope to get out of this?"

"I don't have any expectations Harry. The most I had was you actually showing up and you did just that. Why don't we sit back and see where the night takes us?"

The sound of him laughing, actually laughing was unlike anything that she heard from him before. It was a deep laugh, one that was filled with fun and excitement.

"You are insufferable Miss Greengrass."

"Daphne." She interrupted. "My name is Daphne Greengrass." She said, holding her hand out.

He stared at it, full well knowing what it meant. His eyes stared into Daphne's and he took her hand. "My name is Harry Potter..."

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Reviews if possible.


	6. Chapter 6

Thank you for everyone that's following and leaving reviews. I'm glad that you're enjoying this story.

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"Daphne."

From a distance, Daphne could hear a soft, gentle voice calling out her name but as she turned around, there was no one there. Her eyes scanned the surrounding area, searching for whomever was calling her name. After a more few seconds of searching, she gave up and returned her attention back to Harry. He was in the middle of a story, waving his arms animatedly as if he was trying to illustrate his point. He suddenly stopped and planted his hands on to the table, a frown on his face. Her heart dropped and she started to shake her head, gesturing for him to continue.

No matter what she did, Harry continued to frown, unwilling to do anything else. "Why?" She mouthed, wondering what changed. They were having such a lovely time just moments earlier.

"Wake up."

Her eyes widened as everything around her started to shake. The tables, the chairs, even the windows stared to shimmer as they started to disappear. She quickly turned to Harry, wondering what the hell was going on but he too started to fade away. "Harry!" She opened her mouth to scream his name but no matter how much or how hard she screamed, no sound ever came out. It was almost if someone muted her.

"Daphne!"

Daphne's eyes shot opened and her body jerked up from her bed, slamming her head against something hard. Her hand clutched the front of her head as she groaned. "What the hell?" She muttered, her mind trying to understand what was going on. She squinted her eyes and recognized the person at the end of her bed clutching her head in a similar fashion. "Astoria?"

"That was uncalled for Daphne!" Astoria shouted. "Totally unnecessary and just mean! Why did you head-butt me anyway?"

"What are you doing here Tori?" She tiredly asked, flopping backwards into her bed. She pulled a pillow over her face as she desperately wishing that she was back in that dream with Harry. He looked so carefree and his smile was so infectious that she couldn't help but to smile as well. Daphne happily sighed as memories of last night started to resurface and she let out a small squeal. She couldn't remember a time when she was both happy and nervous at the same time.

They sat at the restaurant for hours, telling stories and asking questions along the way. It was almost if they were friends who haven't seen each other in years. Ma even came up to their table, asking if this was their first date or their first anniversary together as a couple. Daphne, of course, told her to go away while Harry sat there chuckling. It was a strange feeling, to feel so comfortable with someone that you haven't known before. Even though this wasn't a date, she couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like to actually date Harry...

To run her hands through his hair...

To feel his hands on her skin...

To taste those lips of his...

"Daphne!" Astoria shouted once more. "Can you stop spacing out when I'm trying to yell at you?!"

Daphne sighed. She looked at her sister, who stood there looking annoyed. "What did I do this time?" She asked, wanting nothing more than to end this conversation and to get some more sleep. Maybe if she was lucky, she could dream the same dream again...

"This!" The younger Greengrass pulled out a copy of the Daily Prophet and Daphne wrinkled her nose in response. "Are you seriously dating Potter?" She asked, her finger jabbing at the front page picture. "Can you honestly look me in the eyes and tell me this isn't true?"

"Stop it, you're being ridiculous Astoria. Harry and I are not dating and I can't believe that you're buying into this rubbish that the Prophet is selling. This isn't even proper journalism. It's nothing more than a gossip magazine."

Astoria gasped. "So it's true then! You were on a date with Potter!" She exclaimed. "You're not even denying it!"

"I am not dating Harry of all people." Daphne argued, snatching the paper away. She glanced at the picture and cringed, instantly recognizing the location. It was from the restaurant last night when they went out to dinner and from the angle of the picture, it looks like it was taken from the outside. So much for being alone last night.

"So he's Harry now?" Astoria asked, noticing the familiarity of her sister's usage of Potter's name. "When did you start calling him Harry?"

"He's my friend and I always call my friends by their first name." Daphne countered. "Like Tracey."

"But none of your male friends are on a first name basis." Astoria countered, "For example, what do you refer Nott to again? Oh yeah, that piece of garbage."

"What I do with my life is my own personal business my _very_ much younger sister." Daphne emphasized. "Why do you care who I spend my time with?"

"I usually don't except that this time, you aren't dating just anybody. You're dating Harry Potter!" Astoria said, pulling out a second copy of the Daily Prophet. "Surely you've read the papers dear sister. There's an investigation concerning Potter that should make you think twice before pursuing a relationship with him. I mean, just look at Weasley and before you go ballistic about the integrity of the case, I'm going to remind you about those pictures Daphne. They don't lie."

"But pictures are pictures. You know as well as I do that they don't tell the entire story."

"Even if that's true, you need to distance yourself from Potter. He's too toxic right now. Associating yourself with him would tarnish your reputation and I'm sure you don't want that. Sure, he's one of the richest wizard in town but none of that even matters when no one is willing to do business with the man. The only people who even remotely tolerating him is those old goats on the council and that's because they're required to."

Daphne growled and snatched the paper away, glaring at the blatant lies printed on the front page. She tossed them into the corner before casting an incendio, watching them burn up before they hit the ground. "What does that have anything to do with me?" She scoffed. "Father made you the heir remember? I no longer have any say in what the Greengrass name does anymore."

"Don't go blaming father for something that you did Daphne! You chose this remember?" Astoria pointed out. "You weren't willing to comply with father's conditions so what choice did he have?"

"Maybe not use his daughter as a bargaining chip? I mean come on Astoria, he wanted to enter me into a betrothal contract with a man old enough to be our grandfather. Did he seriously think that I would be okay with that?"

"There were options Daphne. You could have chosen others from the list but instead you chose to give everything up. How's that working out for you though?"

Daphne rolled her eyes and left her bedroom, knowing that Astoria would follow. She walked into the living room and sat on the couch, staring into the window. While her one bedroom, one bathroom apartment was nothing compared to her childhood home, this was _home_ to her. "Take a look around Tori. Does it look like I have any regrets?" Her hands gesturing around. "I'm not bound by the same rules as you are. I don't have to answer to father anymore. My life is my life, however I chose to live it."

 _With whomever I want._ She silently added, thinking about the future.

"Did he send you here? To try and convince me to come back? Who am I kidding, of course he did. Nothing but the family name matters to him..." Daphne paused, now understanding why Harry reacted the way he did. He thought that she was someone like her father, caring only for the power behind the name and she was glad she reacted the way she did. It would have been more embarrassing if she reacted like how Malfoy did during their freshmen year at Hogwarts.

"Father didn't send me. Mother did. She wants you to stop being so foolish and come home."

"No." Daphne flat-out answered. She crossed her arms and glared at her younger sister. "There is nothing wrong with living my life. Everyone's entitled to do it. Why shouldn't I?"

Astoria sighed and pulled out a third copy of the Daily Prophet. "There's nothing wrong with living your life but why did it have to be with Harry Potter?" Her finger pointed towards Harry, jabbing the picture a few times. "Don't you know how much of a headache you're causing everyone?"

"I'm sorry that my life is an inconvenience for everyone." Daphne sarcastically answered. "Maybe next time I go out with someone, I'll send everyone a formal announcement."

"No need to get snooty Daphne." Astoria interrupted. "I'm just trying to understand your decision. Why him? There are hundreds of other suitable men out there for you and if you needed help choosing one, Draco could have recommended someone."

Daphne mentally gagged at the idea. She knew all the people Malfoy knew and she would rather fall on a sword than to go out on a date with any of them. They were all pompous egotistical men. "What's wrong with Harry?"

"Let me count the ways dear sister." Astoria started listing them out with her fingers. "He's the golden boy Daphne. He probably has some kind of perverted sense of justice. Probably outside right now helping some more muggle cross the street..."

"We're no longer in school Tori and he never once referred to himself as that."

"Fine but he's a Gryffindor and friends with Ron Weasley. The man who hates snakes. Can you tell me that none of that bias influence shaped him to be the man that he is today?"

"Harry actually told me he didn't care about what house I was in." Daphne smiled, recalling that memory. "Why are all your points about Harry when he was still a boy?"

Astoria paused and then shook her head. "You cannot ignore the fact that while he is the one who defeated Voldemort, there will be people coming after him for revenge. Are you sure you'll be safe?"

"I can handle myself Astoria or have you forgotten what I can do when I'm properly motivated."

"No, I haven't forgotten." Astoria shuddered. "Then what about your social status Daphne? You're a Greengrass by blood and that means something in our society. Are you willing to throw it away?"

"I threw away my last name the moment I walked away from our father and how many copies of the paper do you have? I already burned two and how can you be holding two more?"

"I have enough." Astoria cheekily answered, throwing the two papers onto the coffee table. "You know father's going to be pissed when he sees this."

"So what?" Daphne shrugged, not caring. "How much more disappointed can he be?"

"Well said sister." Astoria answered, taking a seat on the couch next to Daphne. She kicked her feet up and leaned into Daphne's shoulder. "So now that I did what mother wanted me to do, can you tell me what Potter's like? Is he anything like what the Prophet said?"

Daphne laughed and shook her head. "Harry's none of those things Tori and no. I can't tell you everything about him because even I don't know everything. We just started hanging out and from what I can tell, he's a very private person."

"So... he's great in bed then I assume?"

"Astoria!"

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Til next time! Review!


	7. Chapter 7

Thanks for the messages! Sooner or later, this platonic relationship between them will explode. I wonder whose going to give in first?

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Daphne spent her entire morning at her desk, furiously editing the latest merger proposal. She couldn't believe her luck when her manager, Ricky, handed her the folder containing the Cooper-Finklestein deal. She thought her days of being an associate were finally over, that she can finally move onto bigger and more important projects but her heart quickly dropped when she discovered the completed proposal inside the folder. The papers inside were there for her to review and correct while ensuring that they were up to the company's standard.

It was basically scut work for junior associates joining the company.

She held her tongue when she accepted the folder and marched back to her desk, repeatedly telling herself not to punch the man in the face. While it would have been satisfying, it wasn't worth losing her job for. Not after everything she sacrificed to get here. The last thing she wanted to do was to give her father the satisfaction of knowing that he was right all along.

While deep in her thoughts, her fingers accidentally snapped the quill she was writing with in half. She sighed and threw the quill into the waste basket.

"Did the quill do something to offend you Daphne?"

Daphne looked up in surprise and saw Harry standing there, smirking. Her lips quickly curled up into a smile and she stood up, the frustration from earlier instantly forgotten. "Harry Hi! What are you doing here?"

"I was in the neighborhood and was wondering if you had lunch yet."

Her stomach growled in response and Daphne blushed. She looked at the time and realized that her morning flew by entirely. She was so caught up in reviewing the proposal that she lost tracked of time. "Not yet." She shyly answered.

"Then do you want to grab a bite to eat with me?" Harry asked, his eyes staring at her. "It can be something quick. I don't want to get you into trouble." He quickly added.

Daphne shook her head. "No it's fine. I can take my lunch break now." She stood up and quickly tidied up her desk. As she was cleaning up, she snuck in a few glances at Harry who was casually looking around the office. She noticed that he was no longer sporting the scruffy look that she grew accustomed to seeing. It was a shame though, she really liked it on him but this clean, shaven look worked for her as well.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and forced herself to focus with the task at hand. "So what are you in the mood for Harry? There's a few places around here that we can try."

"I'm good for anything." Harry said, turning around and leaned on the cubicle wall of her desk. "What are you in the mood for? It's only fair that you get to decide since you're the one coming back to the office."

An idea popped into her head and she smiled. "I know just the place!" Daphne announced. "There's this quaint little cafe a few blocks away. They have the best desserts. Do you want to try that?"

"Sure."

As they started walking towards the building exit, a loud voice called out Daphne's name, causing them to momentarily stop. She turned around and saw Ricky briskly walking towards her. She stifled a groan and threw an apologetic look at Harry. "Sorry Harry, it's my manager Ricky. Let me see what he wants."

Harry shrugged, not minding the intrusion. He turned around and stepped aside, giving her some privacy but close enough to be within ear-shot. He didn't mean to be so protective but there was something about this man that he didn't like. It could have been the way her manager carried himself, full of arrogance and bullshit but he shouldn't be too quick to judge. Maybe he was misreading the man. Maybe this man was a kind and caring boss who only looked out for his employees.

"I wasn't aware that you're about to take your lunch break Greengrass. Just make sure that those reports are on my desk by five." Ricky barked. He stopped in front of Daphne and was oblivious to her companion. "And just so you know, I went through a lot of trouble just to get you onto this project. Senior management didn't think it was a wise decision but I convinced them you were the perfect candidate. Do not make me regret my decision."

"It will be on your desk by five sir." Daphne muttered, her face heating up from embarrassment from being told off like that in front of Harry. "I was only taking a quick lunch with my friend..."

"By five." Ricky emphasized once more. "And not a second later." It was then he noticed that someone was standing beside Daphne. His eyes widened when he recognized the man. "Oh Mister Potter! What a surprise! Why didn't you tell me you were here? I would've personally given you the grand tour of our office."

"That's not necessary." Harry dryly answered, noticing that the man's attitude did a complete 180. He wisely took a step back, inching closer to Daphne's side. "I was just leaving."

"Mister Potter please. You've already went through the trouble of coming down here and I promise that this won't take too much of your time. There's a few people that would love to talk to you..."

"I'm not interested." Harry interrupted, the irritation present in his voice. "If I wanted to come here for a meeting, I would have called ahead instead of dropping by unannounced so in this case, did you know that I was coming?"

"No but..."

"Then there you go. Like I told you before, I have no interest in signing with your firm. My only purpose here today is to take Daphne out to lunch, which you are currently hindering. Do you have every intention of wasting my time?"

"Of course not but..." One more look from Harry and Ricky wisely shut his mouth. He knew when the battle was lost and this battle was lost. "Have a good day Mister Potter." Ricky said and he promptly turned around, rushing back to his office.

Harry sighed and turned his attention back to her. "I'm sorry Daphne, I know you can fight your own battles but something about his attitude pissed me off."

She shook her head, her cheeks still flushed from embarrassment. "No-no, It's fine Harry." She mumbled, feeling mortified. She was unable and unwilling to look him in the eyes, it was just too much. To have her boss belittle her in front of Harry, it was humiliating to say the least. All she wanted to do right now is to just disappear into the nearest closet and never come out.

"Are you okay?"

Daphne shook her head again, unable to answer. She stared hard at the tile floor, never once breaking contact because if she did, she knew tears would start and she was not going to cry in front of Harry.

"Don't give him the satisfaction of winning Daphne. People like him have no potential so they take it out on others. It might not be today but I promise you that one day, he's going to regret what he's done."

She could feel the raw emotion behind his words, almost if he was speaking from experience. "You think so?" She whispered.

"Of course Daphne. There was never any doubt in my mind." Harry stated, "In my eyes, I don't see you stopping here. I see big things in your future Daphne Greengrass and something like this is just a stepping stone. There will be much bigger challenges waiting for you."

 _Challenges... Like you?_ Her mind thought as she just nodded her head, unable to trust her lips right now. She could feel his words resonating with her heart, and she knew that she wanted more than a platonic relationship with him. She knew it from the first moment she bumped into him.

"So what do you say? Should we go to lunch now?"

"Yes." Both her mind and lips automatically answered. This wasn't the question she was looking to answer but for now, it's a start.

"So how was your day Daphne?" Harry teased as they walked out of the office. "I heard some obvious asshole came into your office acting like some kind of big-shot. Got into an argument with a manager."

"Yeah he was such an asshole, demanding that everyone wait on him hand and feet." Daphne replied, struggling to contain her laughter. "How he got past the front desk is beyond me."

"Maybe he's just that good."

"No one is _that_ good." She pointed out, "So what brings you to my neck of the woods Harry?"

"Just seeing the new therapist that your cousin referred me to." He explained. "Michael Bull. World renowned psychologist. I have to admit, compared to your cousin, Doctor Bull is..."

"Better? Smarter? Experienced?" She wagered. "You can stop me anytime you know."

"Straight-forward." He gave her a weird look to which she stuck her tongue out as a response. "Interesting choice of words Daphne."

"What can I say, my cousin is the black sheep of the family. He's the only one in the family who decided to work with muggles for a living. Everyone else stayed on this side of the fence."

"Do you have a problem with that?" Harry softly asked.

"Gods no." Daphne quickly answered. "To be honest, I actually look up to him. He knew what he wanted and he didn't care what anyone in our family said. Wouldn't take no for an answer and didn't care for anyone's opinion. He just wanted to do what he loved and that was to help people."

"Is that why you chose to become a lawyer instead of working for your father? To forge your own path?"

She looked up in surprised. "You know about that?"

Harry nodded. "I had some free time on my hands after I defeated Voldemort so I made some inquiries about my account and the goblins provided me with a list of my working finances and available investment portfolios. I spent quite some time researching everyone and one of the names that popped up was your father's company. I didn't pay much attention to it at the time and just allowed the goblins to continue to manage my accounts. They've been doing a great job so far so I didn't see a problem with leaving things the way they were."

"Only you would find that acceptable Harry Potter." Daphne teased. "But I am quite surprised to see you today. I thought that after what happened last time, you would be steering clear of me."

And truth be told, that very thought actually crossed her mind after her sister left. She wasn't going to admit it to anyone but she had a little panic attack when she realized that they never exchanged contact information. Even if she wanted to ask him out again, she didn't have a way other than to bother her cousin again and she was _not_ doing that. The last thing she wanted was to have another repeat of what happened when they first met.

"Maybe I'm just a glutton for punishment." Harry replied. "Or maybe I just enjoy your company."

Her eyes lit up, a smile threatening to break out. "Which one is it?" She asked, lightly poking him in the shoulders. "Come on you can tell me. I won't tell, I promise."

"I know." Harry said, "That's why I'm not telling you."

She gasped and then pouted. "You're going to crack eventually Harry. You know I can be very persistent."

Harry chuckled. "Oh I'm sure you are but I'm also very stubborn when I want to be." He saw the determined look in her eyes and then wondered if he was just setting himself for possible failure.

They eventually arrived at the small cafe, the waiter telling them to take a seat anywhere they like. Daphne looked around and picked the table by the window but before she touched her chair, it gently pulled itself out. She took a step back in surprise and saw Harry smirking at her. She giggled, realizing that Harry wandlessly pulled her chair out like a gentleman for her. They quickly sat down and within moments, their orders were placed and resumed their earlier conversation.

"I'll give you credit for showing up like that Harry." Daphne said, "What if I've already eaten? What would you have done then?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Then I would've just turned around and gotten food myself. I'm a grown man you know."

Daphne saw the impassively look on his face and it struck her that this was her moment. This was the moment that would start all other future moments. She was now in a position where she can decide how her relationship with Harry will turn out. Daphne took a deep breath to steel her nerves and leaned forward, reaching for his hand. As she held his hand, she couldn't help but to notice that it was slightly bigger than her own hand.

She giggled quietly and then with a pen, she scribbled a word onto his palm.

Harry watched as she held onto his hand, wondering what she was doing. He shifted his body to get a better look but Daphne smiled, signaling him to wait. He could feel her gentle touch and he swallowed the lump in his throat. The moment only lasted a few seconds but it was enough for him to want more.

"Okay! Done!" Daphne announced. "You can look now."

He pulled his hand back and found the word Thursday written across his palm. "Thursday?" He asked, "What about Thursday?"

"It's an outstanding lunch date Harry." Daphne explained, a pinkish hue on her cheeks. "From now on, or until you get bored of me, we can meet somewhere for lunch. It doesn't always have to be near my office."

It was just a small gesture but he couldn't help but to smile in return. "That sounds wonderful Daphne."

As he sat there with her, the only thought that crossed his mind was that this wasn't bad at all. He rather enjoyed sitting here with her, making idle conversation about nonsense and just enjoying each other's company. It was completely different from when he did this with Ginny. There was no pressure, no guilt. He was able to just relax and actually have a fun conversation with no strings attached.

There was something different about Daphne that he couldn't exactly put his finger on but the more he thought about it, the more he realized that he didn't care. The only thing that he really wanted right now was to know more about the enigma that is Daphne Greengrass.

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Chapter Finito! Hope you enjoy it! Reviews are appreciated.


	8. Chapter 8

Thank you to alix33 and LordSinnoh for pointing out several grammatical mistakes. I've gone back and updated previous chapters. As always, thank you everyone that has been following along.

* * *

Her fingers were slowly drumming themselves against the wall, making a small tapping sound with each passing second. If this wasn't an indication of her growing annoyance, Daphne didn't know what is. After an hour of sitting on an outdated wooden chair, her limit peaked and she couldn't take it anymore. The stupid chair had to go. She glared at the wooden contraption and with a wave of her wand, the chair transformed itself into a comfortable barcalounger, similar to the one in her apartment.

Daphne uttered a sigh of relief as she leaned into the chair, enjoying the feeling of soft cushion against her body. She closed her eyes momentarily, to refocus herself as today was just a complete whirlwind. It was just nonstop chaos.

Chaos in the form of her sister.

Astoria came barging into her apartment earlier morning, demanding to hang out but Daphne took one look outside and she immediately told her to go home. It was raining and the last thing she wanted was to go outside. Even with the amount of spells that could keep her dry, her mind was made up. She was going to spend the day in her warm apartment, curled up with a good book and a bottle of wine.

Arguments shortly followed and before Daphne knew it, she was already making her first purchase of the day. She stared at her sister, wondering when she learned to manipulate people like that. It was such a bittersweet moment, feeling both proud and annoyed at the same time.

According to Astoria, the whole point of this shopping trip was to get her some new clothes that would leave Potter completely speechless. To completely enslave him to her deepest desires. The idea sounded so good when it came out of Astoria's mouth so she relented. That unfortunately gave her sister the green light to grab anything she could within reach. Dresses. Skirts and blouses. Anything and everything was tossed her way and after an hour of continuously trying on outfits, she was ready for someone to end her misery.

A small fire. A horde of trolls. She'll even settle for some young children dressed as trolls screaming fire but nothing of the sort happened. By the third store, she was completely shopped out while her sister showed no signs of slowing down.

"Can we please go home? It's been hours."

"Soon. I promise but first, what do you think about this dress Daphne?" Astoria asked, twirling around once for her sister. "This one says I'm hot and I know how to party."

"No. Absolutely not!" Daphne stammered, her eyes widened at the dress that Astoria picked out. "I will not let my sister go around wearing something that barely covers her chest!"

"Come on Daphne!" Astoria pouted. "What's the point of having breasts if you can't show them off sometimes?" She further proved her point by pushing her chest out, much to her sister's dismay.

"Way to set us back a few decades Astoria." Daphne dryly answered. "It's not like we struggled to be treated the same way as our male counterparts."

"There's nothing wrong with looking nice though. Sometimes it's okay to loosen up but then again, maybe if you did that once in a while, you could've landed your white whale already." Astoria said, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. "If you want, I can give you some fishing tips."

"No!" Daphne shouted, her face flushed from embarrassment. There was no way she was going to go to her _younger_ sister for sex advice. Her heart pounded against her chest as she pictured Harry lying in her bed with sheets wrapped around his torso.

Astoria burst out laughing. "I would pay a million galleons just to know what you're picturing right now. Maybe even two million."

"I will end you." Daphne muttered, glaring at her sister. "You're not getting that dress. Not up for discussion."

"Prude." Astoria retorted. She twirled once more and then suddenly stopped. Her mouth dropped and then quickly crouched, yanking Daphne onto the ground as well.

"What's gotten into you today Astoria!?" Daphne scolded. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Shush!" Astoria hissed, "Don't look now but _she_ just walked into the store."

"She?" Daphne mouthed. "Mother?"

"No. Someone much worse." Astoria slowly peeked her head up and gestured for Daphne to join her. It didn't take long for Daphne to realize who her sister was referring to. That red-hair was unmistakable, even from a distance. "Do you think we should make a quick escape?"

"Don't be absurd. We've done nothing wrong."

"Oh Daphne, my naive big sister. Don't you get it? You're dating her very famous ex-boyfriend. There is no way someone like _her_ is going to just let that go or do I need to remind you about certain incidents when we were Hogwarts? Or what happened to the last girl who looked at Harry? I heard she ended up with boils on her face."

Her face paled, slightly remembering the rumors that floated around Hogwarts. She didn't pay much attention to them at the time because it was what it was. Just rumors but after hearing the tone in her sister's voice... "There's no way she's that vindictive..." She said as her voice trailed off.

Astoria rolled her eyes. "When it comes to that chick, I wouldn't put it past her. Maybe the rumors are true. Maybe she is batshit crazy." She then paused and then tilted her head, her eyes roaming across Daphne's body. "Or maybe she's not..."

Daphne felt the need to cover herself with her arms and swatted her sister on the arm. "Can you stop doing that? It's creepy. Even for you."

"Don't flatter yourself." Astoria snorted. "I was only checking for bruises. I want to make sure that you're not hiding anything... given that you know..."

"I thought I told you not to believe everything the Prophet prints! Just look at her, do you think anything that comes out of her mouth is true?"

"Of course not but you can't blame me for being thorough. I just want to make sure he didn't lay a hand on you." Astoria then paused and grinned. "Unless you wanted him to. You naughty girl you."

"Okay, you need to stop." Daphne demanded. "I am not doing this with you right now." She stood back up and stretched her arms. "Come on Astoria, stop being silly and pick out a dress already. I don't want to spend all day in this store."

Astoria sighed and waved her wand over herself, changing back into her original clothes. "I'm still going to buy this dress. Who knows, maybe you'll want to borrow it in the future."

Daphne opened her mouth to reply but before she could, another voice chimed in. "Oh I highly doubt that. Someone like her wouldn't be able to do that dress justice. Only a real woman would be able to pull that off."

The two of them turned around and saw Ginny standing there, looking amused. Daphne rolled her eyes and ignored her. "Come on Astoria, we should get going. We have another appointment waiting for us."

Astoria caught the look on her sister's face and wisely held her tongue but that didn't stop her from giving Ginny a dirty look. With the dresses in hand, the two Greengrass sisters started walking away, leaving the youngest Weasley behind.

"I'm only going to tell this you once Greengrass. You need to stay the hell away from Harry." Ginny warned. "He doesn't need someone like you in his life."

Daphne shared a look with her sister, who mirrored her bewildered expression. "What are you even talking about? Harry and I are just friends." She explained. "Friends can go places with each other. That's not a crime."

"Look, I don't care what your reasons are but I'm telling you right now. Harry's spoken for. Go sink your fangs someplace else."

Her eyes widened, surprised at the hostility coming from the petite woman. She took a step back and cursed under her breath. Why did she have to have feelings for the one guy who had a crazy ex-girlfriend?

"And spare me the we-are-just-friends speech. I've seen the pictures of your little dates so you can't lie to me you little hussy."

"Excuse me?" Daphne replied, shocked at the accusation. "Look, I'm done trying to explain myself to you." She nodded to Astoria, signaling that it was time to take their leave.

Ginny sidestepped to the right, blocking their way out of the store. "Don't you dare run away from me Daphne Greengrass! You're not leaving here until you agree to back off Harry."

"Are you daft? Do you think I'm actually going to do it because you asked me to?"

"Yes. I'm not someone you want to be on bad terms with." Ginny said, crossing her arms. "I can make your life a living hell."

"Spare us the dramatics you two-knut slut." Astoria growled. "Isn't there a man out there whistling for you?"

"The adults are talking Astoria." Ginny said dismissively. She turned her attention back to Daphne, ignoring the death stares coming from Astoria. "Do yourself a favor and move on."

"Maybe you should listen to your own advice." Daphne muttered, "Why do you even care who Harry dates anyway? Weren't you the one who cheated on him?"

"You're right. I don't care who Harry sleeps with but he should at least have the decency of choosing someone who can match my stature. It's very insulting that he chose to sleep with someone like you. Doesn't he understand just how poorly it reflects back to me? It's like going from using a Firebolt to using a ratty Cleansweeper One. No offense dearly but surely you can understand my predicament. I'm a nationally ranked quidditch player and you're just an..." Ginny purposefully paused, a taunting smirk on her face. "Associate."

"Why you little bitch!" Astoria snarled, pulling her wand out and pointed it at Ginny. She was about to perform the strongest banishing spell she's ever done, fully intending to wipe that stupid smirk off Weasley's face. Consciences be damned, no one talks about her sister this way.

No one.

To her surprise, the spell never came out. Just when she was about to speak the first syllable, her wand was snatched away. "What the hell Daphne!?" Astoria ranted, redirecting her anger. "Give me back my wand!"

"Calm down Astoria." Daphne whispered, thrusting the wand back into her hand. "She just wants to get a reaction out of you."

"But she -"

"I know." She answered, cutting her sister off. If Weasley's sole purpose was to come here and humiliate her, then she chose the wrong day to do so. If she had shown up a few days ago, then maybe it would have worked but not today. Not with Harry's words empowering her. "That's an interesting point that you brought up _Ginevra_. Can you still call it a brand new Firebolt when so many men have taken it for a spin? I think that after so many times, it's no better than a... how did you put it? Oh yes. A ratty Cleansweeper One."

The reaction from Ginny was priceless. Her face turned the signature Weasley red and Astoria wanted to pat her sister on the back for a job well done. She didn't even bother to try and hide her smile.

"You think you're so smart don't you Greengrass but let me tell you something. It doesn't matter how hard you try because Harry's never going to love you back. I screwed him up so much that the only person he's ever going to love is me but go ahead. Try your damnest because when you eventually realize that he's never going to love you, I'm going to enjoy watching your heart shatter into a million pieces."

Daphne stared at her in disbelief. It was unfathomable that she would take pride in hurting another person. Her hand reacted instantly and without warning, slapped Ginny right across the face. "What kind of monster are you Weasley!? How could you do something like that to Harry? To someone you love!"

Ginny gritted her teeth, her eyes hardened. "I don't have to explain my actions to a nobody like you."

"You're right. You don't." Daphne calmly answered and with one fluid motion, her wand was already out and pointed at Ginny. "Harry's my friend and I'll be damned if I'm going to let you hurt him again."

"I would love to see you try Greengrass. Harry and I have a special bond, a connection that no one else would understand. I was his first girlfriend, his first serious relationship, his first _love_. I was his home and I was his future. Do you know what you are to him?" She taunted, not even caring about the position that she was in. "From where I'm standing... you're nothing but a pretty face."

"For Merlin's sake, how delusional are you Weasley!?" Astoria shouted, already grown tired of his. "You cheated on Potter with another man! He's never going to take you back in a million years! He rather sleep with a troll before he touches you again! Why can't you just leave the two of them alone and go back into whatever hole you crawled out of?"

"Because he's mine!" Ginny yelled back. "Potter's always been mine. I don't care what anyone says. I will have him!"

"Get over it! You screwed up. You can keep telling yourself that you were his first love all you want Weasley but at the end of it all, you weren't his _true_ love. If you were, you wouldn't have spread your legs for the first man who whistled at you. I might not know Potter but I trust Daphne's judgment. I trust in her ability to find the one guy that would accept her for who she is, to love her unconditionally and if she thinks Potter is the one then who am I to stand in her way."

"I won't let it happen. I swear that Harry will come back to me. Just you watch!"

Astoria sadly shook her head. She thought she was stubborn but this witch takes the cake. She wanted to say something else but it was pointless talking to someone who didn't want to listen. Pity though. If only Weasley had enough common sense to listen, then whatever came next could have been avoided. She silently apologized to herself before headbutting Ginny.

Daphne gasped and rushed to catch her sister, carefully steadying her while Ginny staggered backwards into several mannequins, knocking everything down.

Astoria groaned and rubbed her forehead. "Did you feel that Weasley? That's just the beginning of the ass-kicking that I'm going to give you if interfere with my sister and Potter. Just you watch, when that idiot gets his head out of his ass, he's going to be moaning my sister's name ten times... no, a hundred times louder than he ever did yours. It's going to be so loud that even the heavens themselves will blush when they hear it."

"You'll pay for this." Ginny threatened, her hand clutching her forehead. She pushed herself back up, her eyes filled with rage. "I'm going to make you two regret this." That was the last thing she said before apparating from the store.

Daphne sighed and stared at her sister, who had a victorious grin on her face. "Was that really necessary Astoria? What if you get in trouble for this?"

"What's she going to do anyway? Get me fired? Please. There's nothing that she can do to me and if she decides to press charges against me, I'm sure father will destroy her." Astoria nonchalantly answered. "And besides, better me than you. You have something to live for you know."

"You mean my job?"

"No, I mean Potter. Isn't that why we're here in the first place? To get Potter to shag you senseless?"

"Astoria!" Daphne shouted, her cheeks turning red. "Harry and I aren't even dating. We're just friends."

"Please spare me the 'we're just friends' speech. I've heard it enough today." Astoria replied, rolling her eyes. "Tracey is a friend. Millicent is... barely a friend but you and Potter are definitely not 'just' friends. I've seen the way you are when you think about him and let me tell you something. You don't think about someone in that sort of context if you don't have any plans to date him. Let's face it, you like Potter and if you don't grab him soon, some other psychotic witch will."

"You think I'm psychotic?" Daphne asked, shocked at how her sister saw her. "You're joking right?"

Astoria shrugged her shoulders. "Any woman willing to date Potter has to be slightly crazy. I mean, have you seen the last witch who dated him? Completely bonkers."

* * *

So what did you think about this chapter?


	9. Chapter 9

Thank you for the reviews. If I was being honest with myself, I didn't intend to write the last chapter as a complete bashing. I was getting inspiration from some old rom-coms and comedy TV and that's how I intended it to be. Please enjoy this chapter.

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"Well, what do you have to say for yourself?"

She heard the question, how can she not? It was clear and concise, straight to the point. She wanted to lie, to tell him a fabricated story but she couldn't. Doing so would mean hurting him and she was not going to be like Ginevra. That _psychotic_ ex-girlfriend of his.

It would've been so much easier if he didn't ask... but he wouldn't be _her_ Harry if he didn't.

She knew that he wanted an answer but she couldn't give him one.

Not without dragging him deeper into this mess.

She tilted her head sideways, to allow herself a view of Harry but that didn't help at all. The anxiety was still there. Every time he opened that mouth of his, her heart pounded against her chest, afraid that the next words would be that they shouldn't be friends anymore.

Her eyes blinked a few times, hiding away the tears that she swore wouldn't come.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No." Daphne mumbled. Her eyes gazed upon the several different publications left on the table, each having similar pictures on their front page. She scowled as her eyes went from picture to picture, memories of the incident springing to mind.

"You know I'm not upset right?"

"But you're disappointed." Daphne quietly replied, almost if she was whispering a secret. The doubt lingered in her mind, afraid that he would leave her if she looked him in the eyes so she stared at everything but Harry.

"Hey... Can you look at me?" Harry gently asked. He took her hand and pulled her attention towards him. He could see a light blush on her cheeks and he chuckled. "I'm a grown man Daphne. I think I can handle a little disappointment."

 _But I don't want you being disappointed at me._ Daphne thought. She sighed and despite every fiber in her body, broke away from Harry's grasp. She turned around and stared at the papers, wishing that this could all go away. Her hands automatically went to sort them into a single pile, having every intention of burning them. "What do you want me to tell you Harry? I think the pictures speak for themselves." She sourly gestured towards the paper. "What can I tell you that you don't already know?"

"I was never interested in the story Daphne..." Harry said, "I was worried that something might have happened to the two of you. I know firsthand just how..." He momentarily paused, trying to find a word to describe his ex-girlfriend.

"Insane?"

He saw the small smirk on Daphne's face and nodded. "Yes. How insane Ginny is. I don't know her reasons for singling you out like that but that was petty of her. If she has a problem with me, she should be coming to me instead of doing something like that."

Daphne couldn't help but smile. It felt like a huge weight has been lifted from her shoulders. "So you're not upset with me?" She cautiously asked. Her eyes carefully stared at Harry, making sure that he wasn't lying just to spare her feelings.

"Do you want me to be upset with you?" Harry teased as he turned his attention back to the newspaper sitting on the table. A quick snap of his fingers and the papers went up in flames, catching Daphne by surprise. He saw her puzzled expression and chuckled. "I'm always going to take your word Daphne. If you tell me that you didn't do it, I'm going to believe you. You haven't given me a reason not to trust you."

"And I won't ever." Daphne solemnly promised. She smiled at the man sitting across from her, that warm fuzzy sensation coming back in full force. Harry was different, she knew that from the very beginning but it was only recently that she started to understand just how different he is. He doesn't see the world like everyone else. His view is based solely on the people around him. He makes an effort to ensure that the people around him came first.

That's why falling for him felt so natural to her. It was as easy as learning to breathe...

"Unless you do something so horrific that leaves me with no other option but to arrest you."

Daphne sighed but nevertheless smiled. "Only you would fail to read the mood Harry." She playfully answered. "Speaking of horrific things, what if a fire were to start in Weasley's house? Would you still take my side if they accuse me?"

"Of course. It's an accidental fire. The owner was probably careless."

"What if a string of unfortunate events happen to befall Weasley?"

"Then I say that karma is a bitch." Harry answered and before she could describe the next scenario, he interrupted her. "I think we're going to be here for a while if I let you ramble on Daphne, not that I don't enjoy hearing your voice but I'll just sum it up for you. Unless you force her to come the next dark lord, I'm always going to take your side."

Daphne beamed in response, trying hard to fight that blush that threatened to appear on her face. "Does that mean we're okay?"

"Of course we are. I'm more upset at myself for not handling the situation better. If I did, then none of this would have happened..." His voice started to trail off but before he could continue, Daphne lightly swatted him on the arm, snapping him out of his mood. "What was that for?"

"You're getting that look and I don't like that look on you Harry." Daphne pointed out, waving her finger at him. "I understand that you have this hero complex and don't try to deny it." She gave him a look just as he was about to open his mouth. "I know you feel like that you need to save the world but I don't need always need to be saved. I'm not some damsel in distress."

"I know you can hold your own but I just hate the feeling that my problems are slowly becoming yours." Harry explained. "You shouldn't need to have that extra burden."

"You know that you're not alone anymore Harry. All these problems that you have, you can talk to me about them. This is what being friends is all about. We share our fears and celebrate our success." She reached across the table for his hand, glad that he didn't flinch or move it away. "It's going to take a lot more than some spoiled little brat to scare me away. She doesn't dictate who I spend my time with and if it wasn't clear already, I really enjoy spending time with you Harry. I _will not_ give that up. I just won't."

He sat there, stunned by the emotion behind her words. He couldn't help but smile as he stared at this beautiful woman in front of him. His eyes drifted downward to the table, where she interlocked their fingers together but her eyes remained focused on him. He swallowed the lump in his throat, afraid that if he opened his mouth, this moment would be lost so he didn't.

The two of them sat there, just enjoying each other's company. Even though they were technically having lunch during Daphne's break, lunch was the furthest thing from their minds.

"Harry, Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course." He automatically replied.

Daphne chewed on her bottom lip, which Harry found very attractive. "Can you tell me what happened between the two of you?"

He looked up in surprised, the trance that he was in broken. He sighed and stared at her. "I can't."

"Why not?" She softly asked. "Are you afraid that my perception of you would change?"

"No."

"Then what is it? You know you can tell me anything."

"No." Harry said again, this time a little bit more forcefully. He quickly uttered an apology when he saw the hurt look on Daphne's face. "I didn't mean to snap at you... It's just... hard... And I... don't want to relive those memories again."

He could feel her gently squeezing his fingers, a small smile now on her face. It was a small gesture, he knew that but a part of him couldn't accept it. Not until he was able to move on from his past. "I want to you tell you Daphne... but it's hard." He whispered, reluctantly removing his hand from hers.

Daphne frowned and reached for his hand again but Harry pulled it back, away from her grasp. "Harry..."

"I know you mean well Daphne but reliving that night is on the bottom of my list. I would rather face Voldemort again then to go through that nightmare. At least with him, the pain was physical." He bitterly said. "Every damn time I close my eyes, I see them in bed. Even though I know I should be moving past this, I just can't. Those thoughts won't leave me alone... Just seeing their faces... Every part of me wants to see them burn for their betrayal."

"But you didn't do that..."

He nodded, "But I didn't do that. Not because it was wrong but because it would be too easy for them." He could still remember that night vividly, leaving the office early that day just to come home to surprise Ginny. He even went and brought some flowers for the occasion. "I was a fool to think that everything was alright between Ginny and myself. I should have seen the signs earlier..."

If he had, he wouldn't have gotten smacked in the face with the biggest sign of them all. Coming home to see a trail of clothes that belonged to your girlfriend and some unknown male. It didn't take a genius to figure out what was happening. Every bone in his body was telling him not to follow it but he did it anyway. He followed the trail upstairs, dreading every second of it.

He didn't even make it up half way when he could hear the grunts and moans coming from behind the door. His breathing became labored and he could feel his magic reacting to his emotions, begging to be unleashed.

"What happened next wasn't my proudest moment..."

The door was blown clean off its hinges and flew across the room, crashing into the wall. The air reeked of sex and he stared at them with disgust. It didn't matter that they were trying to cover their naked flesh with sheets. It didn't matter that he just caught them in the act. Nothing mattered anymore.

All those promises to one another...

Nothing mattered and neither was the restraint on his magic.

It reacted instantaneously with his emotions and flung his cheating girlfriend and her cheating bastard of their bed. He saw Ginny being flung against the nightstand which resulted in those bruises but the other guy wasn't so lucky.

"Once I realized it was someone from my own department... I just lost it. He ran out of my house but I managed to corner him at work..."

"That must have been horrible for you Harry." Daphne said as she comforted Harry. Their hands were interlocked once more thanks to Daphne's persistence. It was a good thing too because despite the size difference of their hands, she missed that skin contact. She could feel every callous on his hand, probably from years of holding his wand. "Maybe I should have just hexed that bitch." She muttered, "I knew something about that story was rubbish and I'm glad you told me Harry but if I'm not overstepping... why didn't you come forward with the correct version?"

"This was a private matter..." He answered. "I didn't think that meant tell the entire world."

"Yup. I should have definitely hexed her when I had the chance." Daphne growled, "That head-butt wasn't enough. It's like you mentioned, she got off too easily."

"You head-butted her?" Harry asked, looking up in surprise. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine Harry but I wasn't the one who head-butted her. Astoria did that." Daphne admitted. "I was ready to just turn her into a toad."

"Should have, not like that would have made any difference."

Daphne sighed, "You know her loss is your gain Harry. I may be a little biased but I think she threw away the best thing in her life when she gave you up."

"A little biased?" Harry asked, raising his brow. "What did she throw away that was so great?"

"Your relationship." Daphne answered, a pint hue appearing on her cheeks. "She gave up an amazing future with you."

Harry weakly chuckled. "I don't know about that Daphne. Maybe you are just a little biased."

It was then that she noticed just how closed they were sitting. Her eyes drifted down to their interlocking hands where Harry was slowly drawing circles. "Maybe I am." She whispered to herself.

Pretty soon, their weekly lunches turned into daily lunches where Harry would often be waiting outside her office. It didn't matter if she was a few minutes later or an hour late, Harry was always there. Once when she was running late, she asked him why he didn't just leave her a note to meet somewhere but the only response she got was that he didn't want to. Since it was his fault that he was stealing their best lawyer away every day for lunch, the least he could do is wait for her.

It might have been corny but it still brought a smile to her face.

She would never admit this but as they grew closer, her sister's words continued to echo throughout her mind, that maybe, just maybe, that they weren't meant to be _just_ friends after all...

* * *

Thanks for reading. Be on the lookout for the next two chapters. I think its something that most of you are waiting for.


	10. Chapter 10

Honestly, the next story I write, if I choose to do it, will start off with the characters _in_ a relationship. It's so much easier to do. It took a long time to actually get this chapter to come together so I hope you enjoy it.

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"So what are you doing now Daphne?"

Daphne sighed and stopped writing, her fingers held onto the tip of her orange feather quill. "I'm still working Tori." She muttered, "Just like I was five minutes ago when you asked me."

Astoria rolled her eyes, "I know what you said five minutes ago but come on. That was _five_ minutes ago. Shouldn't you be done by now?"

"I would be further along if someone wasn't constantly interrupting me." She answered, narrowing her eyes and stared at her sister. "Why are you here anyway? I thought you had a date tonight?"

"I did but I cancelled. I couldn't endure one more night with another guy talking about his boring life. What is with every single male out there? Do they think that all we care about is the size of his bank account?" Astoria rambled, "Why is it so hard for me to find someone that treats me the same way that Harry treats you?"

"Maybe if you changed the way you dress..." Daphne suggested, "You wouldn't have this problem."

"There's nothing wrong with the way I dress!" Astoria snapped. "Maybe if you took my advice once in a while, you wouldn't be stuck inside your apartment on a Saturday afternoon."

"I'm working!" Daphne stressed, pointing to several stacks of papers by her side. "I need to get this done or else I'm done."

"But I'm bored! Why can't you take a break and have a glass of wine with me? It feels like we haven't seen each other in months!"

"What are you talking about? I had dinner with you last week." Daphne deadpanned. "You ordered the Mushroom Risotto and complained about how unfair our mother is."

"Exactly my point! We're usually able to cover more grounds than that!" Astoria exclaimed. "It just feels like we're running short on time now that you're involved with Potter. It won't be much longer before you're married and starts popping little baby Potters out." She pretended to cradle a baby with her hands, shaking side to side to emphasis her point.

Daphne immediately blushed. This was one conversation that she was not prepared for. Sure, she thought about her future with Harry, the many different paths it could take her in life but she never thought once about starting a family with Harry... The very idea of having _that_ kind of future with him brought a warm feeling to her chest. She quickly shook her head, putting a pin on that idea for the time being. She was going to revisit _that_ at a later time.

"There's no way Harry would ever get between us nor would he ever want that." She softly said. "And besides... You can drop the act. I'm not going to let you interrogate him so you can stop with the overprotective little sister act."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Astoria innocently said, plopping further into the couch. She tilted her head backwards to stare at her sister and stuck out her tongue. "I'll have you know that I'm a delight to be around. He would be so lucky to have me in his life."

Even while she was upside-down, she could still see the frown on Daphne's face. "What? I'm adorable and the sooner you let me meet him, the sooner he'll be able to experience me first hand. It's a win-win for everyone."

"I'll think about it." Daphne dryly replied, returning her focus back to the notes in front of her. "Can I trust you to just sit there for an hour while I finish up with this paperwork?"

Astoria snorted, "Of course not. We both know that I'm going to wander your apartment trying to uncover any dirty little secret that you may have about Harry."

"So the usual then?"

"Of course." Astoria answered as she jumped up. She took a quick look around and nodded, deciding that the living room was the best place to start. If Potter did come over, there has to be some kind of evidence that he left behind. Some loose change, a few strands of black hair. Hell, she would even settle for an oversize sweatshirt. Anything that would prove her theory.

From the corner of her eyes, she could see Daphne sitting there looking so relaxed that it irritated her. Renewing her determination, she ran into the bathroom and searched the trash bin. After several minutes, she ran back into the living room and started looking under the couch and between the seat cushions.

"You know, this would be a lot easier if you just admit that you're dating Potter." She growled, glaring at her sister.

"It would be wouldn't it?" Daphne cheekily answered. She could feel the irritation rolling off her sister but she was having too much fun teasing her to care. Any thoughts she had about work was long gone and she resigned to the fact that she was going to have to finish it tomorrow. She got up from her seat and stretched her body, feeling extremely satisfied as her bones popped. She made her way over to the couch and sat down, content with watching her sister search through every nook and cranny in her apartment. "Do you mind dusting while you're doing that?"

"Sure. Do you want some butterbeer with that as well?" Astoria retorted, "Oh and how about I whip us up some dinner too?"

"Only if you're offering."

"Well I wasn't so stop distracting me. I know you're hiding something."

Her mind began to wander as her attention shifted away from her sister to the empty spot next to her. She couldn't help but smile, remembering fondly that not twenty-four hours ago, Harry was sitting in that very seat. She told him that it was going to be a very boring night, with the amount of work that she took home from the office.

 _This is your last chance Harry. You don't have to stay here if you don't want to. S_ he remember teasing him but Harry being Harry wouldn't reconsider. He stepped out for a few minutes only to return with some dinner and she couldn't help but to smile at his thoughtfulness.

The night went by so fast that the next thing Daphne remembered was waking up in the middle of the night next to Harry. Her body was position in such a way that she somehow recall grinding against him, pulling him as close as possible to her. She could still remember the way his arms were wrapped around her midsection, holding her tightly against him. She supposed it was rude to just wake up so she happily leaned into the crook of his shoulder, letting sleep claim her once more.

"I've always found it odd that you would keep some dried flowers pressed inside this picture frame Daphne."

"It's a nice decoration piece." Daphne softly answered, her attention shifting back to Astoria. "I think it brightens up the room."

"And what about this jar of seashells? It doesn't seem like you to keep something like this."

"There's nothing symbolic about a jar of seashells Astoria. I think you're being paranoid."

Astoria grunted and resumed her search while Daphne merely shook her head, letting out a sigh of relief as her sister moved on. She wasn't even sure why she was holding onto her breath. Did a piece of her want Astoria to find out? She pondered for several seconds before groaning in frustration. She could feel her heart yelling at her to stop being so logical, so structured. She frowned in response and grabbed the closest pillow and clutched it against her chest.

"When did you start reading books about Quidditch?"

"I didn't." Daphne answered, confused at the question. "The only books on that shelf should be related to travel..." Her voice suddenly trailed off and her eyes widened. Her heart started beating faster and faster as she jumped up from the couch, letting the pillow fall to the floor. Just hearing about Quidditch made her think back to last weekend when Harry took her to a game in Ireland.

She wasn't the biggest fan of the sport but when she saw the excitement on Harry's face, she didn't have the heart to decline. Not that she would have anyway.

Astoria made a face as she stared at the books. "You feel it don't you? This lingering magic..." She paused. "I think it's a... disillusion charm..." She then started giggling as she turned to Daphne, a sly smirk on her face. "Should we see what's hiding behind door number one?"

"Ah you know what Astoria. It's nothing." Daphne said, trying to downplay the whole matter. "That lingering magic that you're feeling was just me. I was doing some cleanup charms earlier this morning and I must have used more power than normal."

"If that's the case, let me take care of it for you." Astoria offered, pulling her wand out. "It'll be over before you can say patronus..."

"Don't!" Daphne shouted but it was already too late.

Astoria was already in motion, her wand swishing at the empty space in front of the books. The effect was immediate and what used to be a stack of books slowly faded away, revealing a clear glass case with a golden snitch inside. "That was a little disappointing..." She commented. "I was expecting more granular from Potter... This is just sad."

Daphne rolled her eyes and held out her hand, gesturing for Astoria to hand over the case. "No one's asking you for your opinion Tori."

"Whatever." Astoria replied. She was just about to give Daphne the case when she spotted some engraving on it. "Wait a minute." She leaned in closer to read the words. "Ireland... vs... Romania Grand... Finals..." Her eyes widened and turned towards her sister. "Oh my god Daphne! How on earth did Potter manage to get something like this?"

"I don't know Astoria."

"Don't you understand just how big this is? Oh Merlin, it must have cost him a pretty galleon!"

"Astoria..."

"Daphne, the Quidditch League never gives out the winning snitch to anyone. Like ever. The winning team usually keeps it for their private collections but Harry must have pulled some serious strings just to get it for you." She let out a small whistle as she held the case above her head. "I wonder what he paid for this."

"Astoria!" Daphne shouted, finally getting her sister's attention. "Can we not make a big deal out of this?" She pleaded. Her cheeks were already red from all of this and she did not need her sister embarrassing her anymore.

"I could... but where's the fun in that?" Astoria smirked, completely enjoying this. "And just so you know, this isn't that common, it doesn't happen to everyone and it _is_ a big deal. Why is it so hard to accept that you two are perfect for each other? It's so obvious that even when he's not here, you're thinking about him. It's very nauseating if I'm being honest."

"Harry and I aren't like that. We're not even in a relationship. We're just two people who enjoy spending time with each other."

"And I'm the Minister of Magic. Come on Daphne. Who are you fooling here?" Astoria shook her head as she handed the case over. "He likes you, you like him. This is simple relationship math!"

"It's not that simple Astoria..."

"Yes it is! It's only complicated if you make it complicated." Astoria argued. "Wait, why don't _you_ ask him out? You're a strong, independent woman. You can make the first move!"

"In case you've forgotten, Harry just got out of a long-term relationship. I think it's reasonable to give him some space while he figures out what he wants to do with his life."

"No." Astoria answered, shaking her head. "No. No. No." She started walking back over to the couch and grabbed her jacket. She turned around and pointed her finger at Daphne. "I'm tired of you dancing around with your feelings. Liking someone should not be this difficult and when I get back with our dinner, I swear I'm going to make you ask Potter out."

Daphne opened her mouth to reply but before she could, Astoria was already gone. She just shook her head, already knowing how this discussion was going to go. She looked down at the case and fondly smiled. "You really would do anything wouldn't you Harry?" She whispered, remembering about how she commented about how cool it would be to have a golden snitch.

It was just a random thought and never in a million years would did she expect Harry to give her one, let alone the game winning snitch.

Astoria grunted as she apparated to the ground floor, choosing to walk to the restaurant instead of doing it the magical way. After all that, she needed to cool off and it was very convenient that Daphne chose to live in the magical section of London where there were a lot of food options. She sighed and stood in the lobby, trying to decide what to get for them. Maybe she should go back up and ask Daphne but just as she was about to apparate back upstairs, she was interrupted by someone else apparating in.

The noise startled her and she turned around, fully intending to yell at this inconsiderate person but her body halted when she recognized him. How can she not? His face was plastered on every newspaper for the past decade. He was the man who single-handedly defeated Voldemort and if she was being honest with herself, he was the man that will be marrying his sister.

Harry Potter just didn't know it yet.

She stood there, pretending to mind her own business while sneaking glances at him. Her eyes slowly looked him over and she smacked her lips. The pictures did not do this man justice. Not. One. Bit.

Even under that dark jacket with a blue t-shirt combination, she could tell that he had a body of an athlete, someone who's ripped with muscles. She shuddered involuntarily as she pushed all those mental pictures out of her head, especially the ones that involved some kind of ice cream on his chest.

 _No. That is Daphne's man!_ She scolded herself. _Do not think about your future brother-in-law that way._

But it was just so hard _not_ to picture him naked. She groaned, the idea of just aimlessly walking outside sounding more and more like a good idea. "Why did you have to be so hot Harry Potter." She mumbled.

"Excuse me?" His voice asked, "Are you okay Miss?"

Astoria looked away, feeling flustered. "I'm fine Potter. I just need a few seconds to myself."

Harry laughed. "You know, you're the second person to confuse me with Harry Potter. I'm flattered but my name is Harrison Evans."

"No it's not." Astoria pouted. "Do you honestly expect me to believe that you're not Harry Potter? Even though you look exactly like his pictures?"

"If there's anything that I learned over the years, it's that I can't force you to believe in something."

"How very noble of you Harry Potter."

"What makes you so sure that I'm him?"

"Because I am." Astoria stated, rolling her eyes. "There isn't a single person in our community that doesn't know who you are... even if you disappear for months at a time."

"Then I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage. You seem to know me pretty well based on your tone whereas I don't have any idea of who you are."

"See, that's the problem right there! How can she expect me to get to know you if she keeps hiding you away?"

Harry took a step back, narrowing his eyes as he stared at the blonde in front of him. "Are you... okay Miss?" He slowly asked. "Is there someone that I can call to come get you?" He chose his words carefully, not wanting to irritate her any further.

"I'm perfectly fine!" Astoria cheerfully replied and then stopped. "Wait, why do you think I need help?" Her eyes quickly widened and she shook her head, the cheerful expression changed into a scowl. "I'm not crazy Potter! God. Okay I know I'm being elusive but if you stop interrupting me, we would be having a much better conversation."

"Well okay..." Harry hesitantly said, still not taking his eyes off her. "Then who is she that you're referring to?

Astoria gasped. "That's a little hurtful that you can't even spot the similarity between us!" She frowned and then introduced herself. "My name is Astoria Greengrass, the younger, much more adorable sister to Daphne Greengrass!"

"Ah..." Harry replied, completely caught off-guard by the introduction. "So what can I do for you Miss Greengrass?"

"You can do a lot actually." Astoria said. "First off, you can march your ass up stairs and start making out with my sister and afterwards, we can discuss the possibility of you two officially becoming a couple."

"Huh?" He answered, gobsmacked. "Hold on, can we take a few steps back first?"

"It's like Déjà vu all over again..." Astoria muttered. "Okay, what is going on between the two of you? It's like everyone is playing relationship chicken." She sighed and took a few steps forward, fully aware that she was now standing very close to Harry. "You need to go up there and kiss her until she passes out from the lack of oxygen Potter. I'll even allow you to cop a feel if that means that you get your head out of your ass."

"I think you need to take a step back." Harry warned. "I don't like it when strangers invade my personal space."

"Or what Potter? You're going to do something to me?" Astoria challenged, her eyes glaring back at Harry. She was fully aware of the magic surrounding him but she was too stubborn to just back down. "What's the matter? Are you scared of actually being in a relationship that stimulates you both physically and mentally?"

"Never."

"Then what's the issue?" Astoria asked, throwing her hands in the air. "It's so simple. She likes you. You like her."

"I know. I know all of that." Harry growled. "I don't need you to tell me about something that I already know." He turned around and ran his hand through his hair. "I'm not blind Miss Greengrass. I know just how special your sister is."

"Then why don't you do something about it?" Astoria softly asked, finally taking a few steps back. "I don't know what your reasons are but you need to fix it and fix it fast. Daphne will only wait for so long but I don't think I need to tell you that right?"

"No you don't."

"Then what are you still doing here Potter? Get a move on already."

His lips slowly turned upwards into a grin, chuckling as he shook his head. He couldn't believe that it took someone like Astoria to open his eyes. For the past week or so, he's been slowly torturing himself with this decision. He couldn't sleep, couldn't eat... couldn't function until he got this off his chest. "I know." He answered, no longer conflicted on what he needed to do.

"Don't hurt my sister." Astoria quietly added as she walked towards the door. She stopped and looked over her shoulder. "She's my best friend you know."

"You can kick my ass if I do."

"That was a given." She gave him once last nod before walking out the door, intending to find some place to get dinner. She looked up into the night sky and notice how clear it was. Perhaps it would be nice to just take the long way tonight.

Harry sighed and ran his hand through his hair, mentally preparing himself but this wasn't the place to do it. Not in the atrium of her apartment complex. He looked around for someplace where he could have some privacy but the only place he could find was a path leading him around the corner. With no other choice, he started walking but just as soon as he turned the corner, he found himself face to face with Daphne, who stood there looking just as shocked as he is.

His breath hitched, unsure of what to do. He could feel his heart beating against his chest and the only thing he wanted to know was just how much of that did she overhear?

* * *

Next chapter's going to be a hard one as well. It'll come when it comes... but until then. Review.


	11. Chapter 11

After writing this chapter, I can honestly say that this is one of the best ones that I've done yet. I'm not talking in terms of the story and the characters but in terms of personal growth. I was never really the guy who can turned those romantic scenes and thoughts into words but here we are. I also want to apologize for leaving the last chapter in a cliffhanger. I felt that it would be better in a new chapter.

I also want to thank each and every one of you who took the time to follow/favorite/review. It means something.

* * *

Harry stood there frozen, completely startled to see Daphne. "What... what are you doing down here?" He whispered, his heart pounding against his chest. He could see the blush on her cheeks and he instantly knew his answer.

She overheard the entire thing. He turned his head, tearing his focus away from her. "I-Harry..." He heard her whisper. "Did you mean what you said?"

He paused, his mouth going dry. His mind was screaming at him to stop being a scared little pup, to just answer her like a man. Hell, if Sirius was still alive, he would literally be pointing out that this moment right here, this was _his_ moment. He should be able to turn around and admit to Daphne that he likes her, that his feelings for her went past the realm of being just friends.

"Harry...?"

He uttered a low growl, irritated with himself for being so spineless. What was the matter with him? It was literally just a few minutes ago that he just came clean to her sister. Surely this was just a matter of repeating himself.

But deep down, he knew it wasn't the same and the idea of telling Daphne scared the hell out of him.

"I meant what I said Daphne." Harry finally mumbled, throwing caution into the wind. "I have these... feelings for you and I..." He struggled for a few seconds before continuing. "What I'm trying to say is that I like you Daphne... and I was wondering if you would... possibly... be open to a date sometime..."

Just as the words left his mouth, he scolded himself for being so lame. Where was that confidence from earlier? He turned towards Daphne to see if he can gauge her reaction but all he could tell was that he left her stunned.

He sighed and ran his hand through his hair, trying to calm his nerves. He thought it would get easier once he confessed but it was just as bad. He lost count the number of times he wiped the palms of his hand on his shirt. "This isn't... how I wanted to tell you..." He said, trying to salvage what was left of his dignity. It took everything he had not to facepalm himself.

"But I think its perfect Harry." Daphne shyly answered, smiling at him. It would be much later in their relationship when she would tell him that on this day, she almost died of a heart attack when he took his time with his confession. "And... I would love to go on that date with you Harry."

His face lit up and he couldn't help but chuckle, a wave of relief washing over him. "I promise that I'll show you the world if you'll allow me."

"No. Don't do that Harry." Daphne protested. "In case you haven't noticed you big lug, I've never once cared about any of that... I only cared about spending time with you."

"Especially at that Quidditch game."

She blushed, knowing that she was caught red-handed. "So you picked up on that huh?"

"It wasn't hard to notice that you paid way more attention to me than the game." Harry teased, using the opportunity to close the distance between them. "Did you enjoy yourself?"

"I enjoyed the snitch more." Daphne giggled, remembering the gift that was currently sitting in her room. She unconsciously took a step back, allowing herself to be press against the wall. "Are you angry that I paid more attention to you than the game?" She asked, "Because if you are... I'm pretty sure I can find ways to make it up to you."

"Are you sure about that Miss Greengrass?"

Her hands slowly wrapped themselves around Harry's neck, smiling as she stared into his green eyes. It was hard to believe that just a few months ago, these were the very eyes that would have walked out of her life... except that now... she was going to do everything in her powers to ensure that they never leave her life... She leaned in and gently whispered into his ear, "I am very sure Mister Potter."

Daphne let out a small gasp as she felt his arms suddenly wrapped around her. She tightened her hold around his neck and everything in her body was telling her to stop thinking. To stop staring at his lips and just go for it. The way that he was just staring at her... it was getting to be very difficult to concentrate.

"You never did tell me why you were down here in the first place..."

"I was looking for someone..."

"Did you find whoever it was?" Harry asked, leaning in a little bit closer until their noses were practically touching. He could actually smell the scent of peaches on her and it fueled his desire to have her even more.

Daphne merely nodded, lightly shaking her head to rub her nose against his, fully enjoying this sensual feeling. "I think I did..." She whispered before she felt his warm lips on hers. It was like an explosion of pleasure, sending shivers through her nerves, shivers that made her body tremble. He kissed her softly, gently but it wasn't what she wanted. Her hands grabbed a fistful of Harry's hair and pulled him closer to her, deepening the kiss.

He pushed her further against the wall, until there was no were else to go and she was glad for that. Every touch, every kiss, it left her wanting more. Never before has she felt the need to just keep on kissing someone before. It was almost like his lips were made for her. She could feel his tongue begging for entrance and she gladly obliged, now completely focused on wrestling with his tongue.

Seconds soon turned into minutes where they were now rolled over on the floor, tangled together, still kissing.

"YESSSSSS!" A loud voice shouted. "GET IT DAPHNE!" The noise echoed through the atrium and the newly formed couple quickly broke apart, remembering that they needed to breathe as well.

Daphne recognized the voice and groaned. "Why Astoria?!" She asked, flustered. "Why are you still here?!" She turned around and buried her face in the crook of Harry's neck. She could feel his chest shaking, probably amused by all of this. She mumbled something incoherent but he only held her tighter.

"I didn't have any money." Astoria pouted, holding out her hand. "I forgot to ask you before I left but damn Daphne. I didn't think you had it in you! By the front door as well." She let out a small whistle, clearly impressed.

"Here." Daphne said, wiggling her hand into her pockets to pull out some muggle currency but Harry was one step ahead of her, throwing a plastic card at her sister. She looked up, confused by his actions. "What was that?"

"Gringott's new payment system. It works at any merchant. All you need to do is think of the total amount that you need and tap the card." Harry explained. "The money will then appear in your pockets."

Astoria caught it with ease, eagerly exclaiming the card. "Does that mean I can get whatever I want?" Her eyes gleamed with anticipation.

"Within reason."

She nodded and then smirked at the new couple. "Remember you two, it is perfectly okay to snog in public areas but shagging is a different story. It should be conducted in a well-lit private area but I'm sure Harry already knew that, given that he is a respected officer of the _law_."

"Astoria!" Daphne exclaimed, "Get out of here already!"

Her sister merely stuck her tongue out in response as she walked out the door. She started whistling once again as she made her way over to that new Italian place that served steak and lobster. It was the least that Harry can do for her part in setting them up. Maybe if she played her cards right, they would name their daughter after her. Astoria Potter...

It had a good ring to it.

Harry sighed and then apparated the both of them upstairs into Daphne's apartment. It only took a second but when they landed on her couch, he could sense that there was this awkward tension between them now. He scratched the back of his head, unsure of how to proceed. He looked at Daphne who was fidgeting with her hands and he just smiled. "So that was new." He said, breaking the ice between them.

"It was but that was the last thing that I expected to happen." Daphne said and then her eyes widened. "Not that I didn't enjoy it. I mean I did enjoy it immensely and it was awesome but I wanted to tell you that I'm not usually like that. I don't go around kissing men that I have an attraction to, except for you." Her face became mortified as she dropped her head, allowing her hair to cover her face. "Please stop me anytime Harry." She pleaded.

"I think it's rather cute." Harry said. He leaned in and ran his hand through her hair, secretly enjoying the silky feeling on his fingertips. He pulled it back and smiled. "Did you regret that kiss?"

"What? No! Of course not!" Daphne defended. "I liked that kiss... and I like kissing you."

"That's good because I like kissing you as well."

Daphne couldn't help but smile at his sincerity. "So where does that leave us now?" She coyly asked, already having several ideas in her head. The first and foremost was to see if he was interested in resuming their previous activities.

Harry saw where she was going and chuckled. "We have some time until your sister gets back..." He said, leaving that thought up in the air. "Maybe we can... discuss our relationship some more if that's what you want."

"I think I do." She softly said, pushing him down into the couch. "I hate to start our new relationship with some unfinished business."

"Unfinished business?" He questioned, "What do you..." He stopped mid-thought when Daphne silenced him with her finger, a flirtatious smile on her face. She could feel the light tremors coming from Harry as she slowly began to trace his lips.

"Do you know what I mean now?"

Harry merely nodded his head, grinning into her finger. His arms snaked around her waist and with one quick move, pulled her down so that they were now face to face. "I think I know..."

"You better." Daphne said, speaking softly against his lips.

* * *

I think it was too fluffy but let me know your thoughts. Reviews are appreciated.


	12. Chapter 12

I'm glad everyone liked the last chapter. I personally enjoyed writing that chapter because for me, it was like a climax to an arc and now I can begin setting everything up for the next one. I promise that there will be more moments like that between Harry/Daphne but until then, let's continue on with the story.

* * *

"Thanks for coming in on such short notice Potter."

"You didn't exactly leave me with a lot of options." Harry dryly answered, "So what do you want?"

Matthew sighed and pressed a button on his desk, the silencing charms instantly going up in his office. "It's a shame that all that time off still hasn't fixed that personality of yours." He said, shaking his head in disappointment. "Is your goal to piss off the entire Auror force?"

"Is it working?"

"If it was, you wouldn't have been able to make it this far." Matthew pointed out. "Now sit down and shut up. I didn't call you back in here just to trade insults."

"Then what am I even doing here?" Harry asked, "In case you've forgotten, I'm still suspended."

"I know but there are powers beyond my control that requested you for this." Matthew said as he pulled out a folder from inside his desk drawer. "This mission comes directly from the top and they want it done quietly."

Harry stared at the file, his interest suddenly peaked. "Why me though? You have several dozen men outside this office that could complete this." He was about to start listing off names when Matthew held up his hand, interrupting his thought.

"Believe me, you weren't my first choice for this mission either but they insisted that this one goes to you... regardless of your official status." Matthew muttered. "Just take a look at the file." He then slid the folder across his desk towards Harry.

Harry picked up the file and saw that it was a dossier on two children from the Netherlands. A boy and a girl who barely looked over the age of ten. He tilted his head in confusion, wondering why they were even under surveillance in the first place. He continued to flip through the pages, not seeing anything that would make them a creditable threat. It didn't make sense to send one of their own overseas just to pick up two children. Why not just have the local Aurors pick them up?

"What are you not telling me?"

"What do you mean Potter?" Matthew asked, carefully studying Harry. "Everything you need to know is in that file. We want you to extract the targets and bring them back here for observation."

Harry shook his head. "If it was that simple, you could have sent anyone to do it. Hell, you could have called the Dutch Aurors to pick them up but instead, you asked for me. Something doesn't add up so unless you want me to walk right back out, you better tell me what's going on."

Matthew stifled his groaned and weighed his options. He knew that he couldn't force Potter to accept the mission but it was made explicitly clear to him about the risks involved if this wasn't done quickly and quietly. In the end, he reluctantly agreed. "We may have our differences and you might not agree with how I handled your suspension but this mission takes priority above all us." He interlocked his fingers and leaned forward, "What I'm about to tell you doesn't leave this room." He saw Harry's nod and continued. "In the last twenty-four hours, we've intercepted a bunch of chatter and one of them were rumors that Voldemort might have sired two children. There's no way for us to actually verify this information but we're not taking any chances."

"Wait. Wait." Harry said, his eyes widening at the news. "Are you telling me that we have mini versions of Tom Riddle running around?"

"That's why we're sending you back into the field Potter. If they are indeed his children, we'll need to act fast before they decide to follow in their father's footsteps. We cannot afford to have another war on our hands."

"What are you really asking me to do Matthew?" Harry asked, looking his chief directly in the eye. "Because if it's what I think it is, I'm not going to do it. These are just children! They've done nothing wrong!"

"Nothing wrong? God damn it Potter. You need to open your eyes. If there's even a remote possibility that these kids might be related to that bastard, we need to contain them before it's too late." Matthew said, gritting his teeth. "I can understand your hesitation and I can even respect that but when it comes to Voldemort or anyone with his bloodline, we cannot be taking any chances. You of all people should remember what happened last time."

"I'm not trusting them on blind faith here Matthew but you have to understand that we're Aurors, not judge, jury and executioner." Harry argued. "We have rules and regulations in place that separates us from criminals and if I were to cross that line, I might as join them!"

"Enough Potter!" Matthew shouted. "You're a damn good Auror but in our line of work, that line is blurred. We have to examine each case independently and in this case, it was examined by the highest power so if you have a problem, you can tell it to me after you finish the mission."

Harry remained silent, trying to keep his anger in check. "What you're doing goes against the ICW and a violation of their human rights." His words came out slow and steady. "We're supposed to be better than this. We're supposed to be the people setting the damn example."

"Not when it comes to our survival Potter." Matthew shot back. "Not when it comes to our survival." He sighed and stared at Harry. "Let me put it this way. If I don't see those kids inside those holding cells of ours, the next person that I'm going to be sending in, is Reynolds and we both know he _will_ get the job done because unlike you, he knows what's at stake."

"How long do I have?"

"Two days." Matthew answered as he watched Potter struggling to contain that anger of his. "I suggest you leave immediately." He pointed towards the door, dismissing him. He turned around in his chair and closed his eyes, trying to calm himself before his next meeting. It wasn't that he hated Potter, it was that their views were completely different. Potter was focused on each individual case but he was the chief. He had to look at the bigger picture, to ensure the safety of their people and if there was something that even threatened the peace and security of their country, they should be using everything they have to defend their home.

Even if it means getting their hands dirty.

Harry stomped out of the office, slamming the door harder than usual. He didn't care if everyone in the office was watching because right now, the only thing he cared about was making sure that Reynolds does not come anywhere near this case. He knew what type of man Josiah Reynolds was and why Matthew was so confident that one way or another, this case was going to be closed. The only difference is that if Josiah was involved, everyone knew that the targets wouldn't be making it out alive.

That's the kind of man Josiah is. His undying loyalty to the job. It was admirable if he didn't follow it blindly. Always willing to follow orders, never questioning them... that's the difference between them and one of the reasons why Matthew was fond of Josiah.

The perfect Auror.

Harry sighed and took another look at the file, staring at the picture once more. As much as he hated Voldemort for what he did, his children shouldn't pay for his crimes and he was going to make damn sure that Josiah doesn't get anywhere near them. Not until he sorted out what was truly going on. There was something else to this that they weren't telling him and he was going to find out.

He tucked the folder under his arm and apparated back home, mentally preparing a checklist. He knew it was a non-sanction mission because he was still suspended. The department wanted someone who they can blame in case this went south. Plausible deniability, he told himself and that was fine. If these kids are what the dossier say they are, he was going to need that one.

"Even from the grave, you're still not satisfy are you Tom..." Harry grumbled. "Let's hope for both of our sake that those kids of yours take after their mother."

* * *

"Daphne Greengrass, get your sweet ass out here right now!" The voice shouted, startling Daphne who jumped up from her seat.

She cautiously backed herself into the kitchen as quietly as she could, remembering that she left her wand next to a pot of tea. Once her wand was back in her hands, she cautiously peered through the archway, making sure that she wasn't exposing herself in anyway. Harry once told her that some of the causalities that he's seen in the field were from people who didn't use their surroundings effectively.

Well, she wasn't going to make that mistake.

"I'll start unpacking right here in your living room Daphne! You know I'll do it!"

It was then that she finally recognized the voice. She smiled to herself as she lowered her wand and shook her head. "You wouldn't dare Tracey!" Daphne said as she emerged from the kitchen with a cup of a tea. "Why do you insist of showing up unannounced every time?" She asked. "Could you once just show up like a normal witch?"

Tracey scowled and turned around, putting her hands on her hips. "This wasn't for you though. I thought Potter was here and I wanted to see if I could make him scream like a girl."

Daphne sighed and put her tea down on the table. "You do realize that Harry's an experienced Auror right? He's been in the field countless times and in case you've forgotten, he's the guy who defeated you-know-who. It would take a whole lot more than a surprised entrance to scare him."

"I still say I could've scared him." Tracey pouted, "Don't you dare tell him that's what I plan on doing."

"Tracey, please don't make me tell my new boyfriend just how crazy my best friend is. At least not this early into the relationship." Daphne pleaded. "He's just only getting used to Astoria's antics."

The two of them stared at each other for a few seconds before breaking out in giggles. Tracey was the first one to stop and pulled Daphne into a tight hug, feeling content in see her best friend again. She broke apart and smiled as she looked over Daphne. "The years have been good to you."

Daphne rolled her eyes, "I see America hasn't changed you one bit. I was afraid that you would come back fifteen pounds heavier, with all those cheeseburgers you keep talking about."

"And here I was afraid that you would have gained twenty pounds from your relationship with Potter."

"You take that back!" Daphne mocked-gasped. "How dare you imply that I've gained weight?!"

"I call them like I see them darling."

The giggles started up again and they moved over to the couch to catch up. "So now that the boring details are out of the way, I need to know Daphne. How is Potter?" Tracey asked, "Are all those rumors about him true? The ones from Hogwarts when he fought a troll and a giant basilisk? Did he use dark magic to enter the goblet of fire? Did he have a fling with the French champion? Is it true that he fought he-who-must-not-be-named four times and won?"

Daphne struggled to understand all those questions but in the end she gave in and just listened to her best friend rattle of question after question. She couldn't help but smile that this felt like old times when they were back in Hogwarts... When the only thing that stressed them out where boys and classes. Of course, there was the matter of an upcoming war but it never stopped her from hanging out with Tracey.

"Is he actually related to Sirius Black? That would make him the lord of two houses legitimately and not what everyone is saying. Oh my gosh, if you married Potter, you would be richer than Narcissa. Why, I bet you could stick it to Draco. Oh and what about that slut Weasley? Is it true that he got even with her?"

"Unfortunately not." Daphne dryly answered. "Not since Astoria embarrassed her."

"Do you want me to take care of that two-timing bitch?" Tracey asked, pulling out her wand. "Even though I swore an oath to do no harm, I'm positive that by getting rid of Weasley, I'm doing the world a favor. I bet I can even make it look like an accident, maybe an overdose or something." She paused and then shook her head. "Too easy but I know several types of poisons that would be undetectable on scans though. Just say the word Daphne and I can make her disappear." She leaned forward and whispered, "I know people."

Daphne stared at her friend for a few seconds, slowly blinking her eyes before shaking her head at the ridiculous notion. "Stop it Tracey. She isn't your problem and while I do appreciate you doing that for me, she's ultimately Harry's problem."

"And what if he doesn't do anything about it? I'm sorry Daphne but I don't know anything about Mister Sexypants Potter. What if he's still the same person from Hogwarts?"

"He's not." Daphne interrupted, trying to reassure her friend. "We've all grown up Tracey and besides, if you've let me known ahead of time that you were dropping by, I would have told him to come back sooner. I'm sure he would've loved to meet you."

Tracey tilted her head in confusion. "Come back sooner? You mean he's not even in London? Just where is lover boy anyway?"

"Somewhere over in the Netherlands." She shrugged her shoulders. "He said it was to collect a few things that he left behind from the war."

"Like what?"

"I didn't ask Tracey. I figured if it was important, he would tell me later." Daphne said. "Besides, he'll be back soon anyway. He has a wedding to attend."

"Oh that's right. For Granger and the other annoying Weasley." Tracey answered, making a face. "Isn't that going to be awkward?"

"Maybe." Daphne surmised. "But he can handle it."

"Wait, you're not going with him?" Tracey asked in surprised. "Aren't you afraid that they're going to talk about you behind your back?"

"Oh I know they will." Daphne coyly answered. "But you know what? Let them talk because at the end of the day, I'm going to be going home with someone that makes me smile, someone who puts my happiness above all else and if that's not winning, I don't know what is."

* * *

Just hit that review button and let me know what you guys think.


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